Gastroenterology

The gastroenterology department deals with all aspects of general gastroenterology (digestive system) and hepatology (liver). This includes outpatient clinics and the management of inpatients.

We carry out endoscopies (a procedure used to examine the interior surfaces of an organ or tissue) at both Epsom and St Helier hospitals, with more complex therapeutic endoscopies, such as ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and stents, performed at St Helier. The department works closely with the gastrointestinal surgical department and specialist gastrointestinal radiologists.

Services offered include:

• Gastroenterology outpatients
• Viral hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease services
• Gastroscopy
• Colonoscopy
• ERCP
• Liver biopsy
• Therapeutic endoscopy
• Urea breath testing
• Oesophageal manometry
• 24 hour PH testing.

Our team 

Our team consists of five full-time gastroenterology consultants, plus nurse specialists in endoscopy, viral hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and upper and lower gastrointestinal cancer. We also have one full-time consultant in paediatric gastroenterology. 

Key staff

• Dr Pritash Patel, clinical lead for general gastroenterology and upper GI cancer Epsom
• Dr A Guan Lim, consultant and Joint Clinical Director for Medicine
• Dr Asif Mahmood, consultant gastroenterologist, St Helier Hospital
• Dr Simon Moodie, consultant gastroenterologist, Epsom Hospital
• Dr Philippa Youd, consultant gastroenterologist, Epsom Hopspital
• Dr Sameer Zar, consultant gastroenterologist and clinical lead upper GI cancer, St Helier Hospital.

Opening hours

8am – 5pm, Monday to Friday

Clinics

• Dr Howard: Monday, 9am-12.30pm, Sutton Hospital and Wednesday, 9am-12.30pm, St Helier Hospital
• Dr Zar: Tuesday, 9am-12.30pm, Sutton Hospital and Tuesday, 2pm-5pm, St Helier Hospital
• Dr Mahmood: Monday, 2pm-5pm, St Helier Hospital
• Dr Lim: Tuesday, 9am-12.30pm, Epsom Hospital and Tuesday, 2pm-5pm, Leatherhead Hospital
• Dr Moodie: Monday, 9am-12.30pm and Thursday, 2pm-5pm, both at Epsom Hospital
• Dr Patel: Monday and Wednesday at Epsom Hospital

Contact details

St Helier Hospital

Tel: 020 8296 2340
Fax: 020 8296 3429

Epsom Hospital

Tel: 01372 735129
Fax: 01372 735159

More information

We also do prison clinics in Highdown and Downview Prison - referrals from prisons for viral hepatitis go to sister Laiting Tan (clinical nurse specialist, Tel: 01372 735735 ext 6464).