Medical Career
I studied at Christ's College, Cambridge University in the UK and Guy's Hospital, London before graduating in 1979. In 1983, I became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians before being elected Fellow in 1994 and subsequently Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health in 2001.
My general paediatric training was principally undertaken in Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool. My specialist training in Paediatric Cardiology was carried out at Harefield Hospital, London and Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK, Boston Children's Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco in the USA and the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Following my training I was appointed consultant to the University Hospital of Wales and established the Paediatric and Fetal Cardiac Service for South Wales which achieved UK recognition as a centre of excellence. In 2001 I moved to Singapore to take up the role of Head of Paediatric Cardiology at the National University Hospital. I returned to the UK in 2004 to work in the Department of Paediatric Cardiothoracic Services at the Freeman Hospital. In total, I have over 25 years’ experience at consultant level in both non-invasive and invasive management of all aspects of congenital cardiac disease. With the support of the international community I edited the first comprehensive Pediatric Heart Failure Guidelines, published in 2014.
My special interests are transplantation, heart failure, developing educational material for trainees and the general public, as well as using IT to improve patient care. I was the lead clinician for the heart failure and transplant programme at Freeman Hospital from 2005-2015. During that time it achieved an international reputation in the more challenging aspects of transplantation and mechanical support.
I was a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas and Director of the Heart Transplant, Heart Failure and Ventricular Assist and Mechanical Support Programs at Children's Health, Dallas between 2016 and 2019. My specialist experience in this area enabled me to develop strong links with other centres around the world, share best practices and provide professional support. During this time I gathered together many experts from across the world to develop and write a consensus document on Donor Organ Acceptability & Management in Pediatric Cardiac Transplantation.
In April 2021, I was appointed Program Consultant to the U.O.C. di Scompenso, Trapianto e Assistenza Meccanica Cardio-Respiratoria, Dipartimento di Cardiochirurgia, Cardiologia e Trapianto Cuore-Polmone (Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Cardio-Respiratory Support Program) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome. It is a privilege to work with such a talented team and combine our collective experience to enhance the care of children with end stage cardio-pulmonary disease.