Children's Services

Children's Services Consultants

Consultants

Mrs Liz Atter

Senior Paediatric and Children's Physiotherapist, Move2Learn
Chartered Physiotherapist
MCSP

Children’s Physiotherapist, Mrs Liz Atter has over 25 years experience working with children and young people with a variety of different needs. Her approach to child physiotherapy is child centred, family focused and functional (practical). She is completing her Masters Degree in Paediatric and Child Healthcare Studies through Cardiff University and is married with 2 teenaged children.

Liz is an accredited Bobath Therapist having completed the 8-week Bobath Course in Cardiff 1990 and 2 one week refresher courses including the use of Sensory Integration for children with Cerebral Palsy.

She has a special interest in adapted physical activity and uses recreational therapy (use of games and activities as a treatment modality), rebound therapy (therapeutic use of the trampoline), dance therapy and hydrotherapy (She is a qualified Halliwick therapist).

Liz was a founder member of the therapy team at The Dyscovery Centre in 1997 and until recently, was their Clinical Manager. This Centre specialises in the assessment and treatment of children, young people and adults with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Specific learning Difficulties) such as Dyspraxia (Developmental Co-ordination Disorder - DCD), Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. She was a senior Community Paediatric Physiotherapist for 12 years for Cardiff and Vale NHS.

Liz has also been a consultant for Bridgend Local Education Authority advising on the needs of pupils with co-ordination difficulties, and has lectured for Cardiff University Department of Physiotherapy Education, Cardiff University MSc Paediatrics and Child Healthcare Studies, University of Glamorgan and University of Wales Institute Cardiff. Liz has also taught professionals and the public at national and international level.

Liz is a member of both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), and the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP), and is the co-author of two books: ‘Can’t Play, Won’t Play: simply sizzling ideas to get the ball rolling for children with dyspraxia’. Sharon Drew and Liz Atter (ISBN 978-1-84310-601-2), and ‘Fidget Busters’: brain break and energisers for the classroom. Sharon Drew and Liz Atter (ISBN 978 - 1 - 85503 - 482-2)

Mr Paul Rhys Davies

Consultant Spinal Surgeon
MB BS (Lond) FRCS Orth Eng

Mr Paul Rhys Davies is a senior consultant spinal surgeon in South Wales, bringing vast experience and expertise to his private consultant practice, offering specialist spine surgery at Vale Healthcare, South Wales leading private hospital and private clinics in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Mr Davies is Cardiff born, trained at Westminster Medical School, London, UK before moving on to St Thomas` Hospital for general surgery. His spinal surgical training was carried out at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London, the N.O.C. Oxford and at the Queens Medical Centre Spine Unit in Nottingham. He was awarded a specialist scoliosis travelling fellowship to Minneapolis in the USA and also visited the Spine Unit in Berck, France as an addition. The breadth of his training as you can see is vast and he has picked up all the best techniques from each of these centres on the way! Mr Davies is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (London) and is a Council member of the British Scoliosis Society.

Mr Davies was the first whole time fellowship trained spinal surgeon to be appointed in Wales over ten years ago. Since his appointment to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and Llandough Hospital, South Wales, the spinal unit in Cardiff has grown and developed into one of the top spinal units in the UK and now has both a national and international reputation for excellence in the treatment of spinal pathologies. Mr Davies is the senior member of the department and has been seminal in the evolution of the unit over the last ten years. The department now has five fully trained spinal surgeons and is one of the busiest spine units in the country.

The Cardiff spine unit, spearheaded by Mr Davies, has international recognition particularly in the field of pioneering state of the art surgery and research in basic sciences and clinical fields. It also has European recognition for the training of future spinal surgeons and is one of two centres in the UK with the European Reference licence. This means visitation and training of spinal fellows from both home and worldwide. Indeed Mr Davies has trained most of his own department at one time or other!

Cardiff now has such a reputation for spines that in 2006 Mr Davies and the unit were asked to host the Britspine meeting, the biggest spinal meeting in the UK involving all four of the main spine societies. This was duly organised by the local unit at the Cardiff International Arena in South Wales, with Mr Davies as the host chairman and was a great success.

Mr Paul Rhys Davies is regularly invited to lecture and operate at other spine centres in both the UK and abroad and is recognised as being an international thought leader particularly on new and innovative spinal techniques and clinical management of spinal conditions. He has operated abroad in countries such as Germany and Spain and recently carried out major scoliosis surgery on an orphan boy from Swaziland in Africa as a charity case within the Trust. Find out more about Scoliosis treatment at Vale Healthcare

Mr Sandeep Hemmadi

MBBS MS(Orth) FRCS FRCS(Orth)
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Sandeep Hemmadi is a private Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon (Medically qualified Doctor) at Vale Healthcare, South Wales' premier private hospital and private orthopaedic clinics in Cardif and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Mr Sandeep Hemmadi's specialist interests include surgical correction of bunions using the Scarf procedure, ankle arthroscopies (key hole surgery), ankle replacements, Lateral ligament reconstructions of the Ankle and Corrective surgery for Flat foot.

Sandeep specialises in Adult Foot and Ankle Surgery and Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery. Mr Hemmadi practices at Vale Healthcare - south Wales's leading private healthcare facility in south Wales, serving Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan - and the whole of south Wales.

Sandeep works with Specialist Musculoskeletal Radiologists to offer his patients the most appropriate imaging to help make an accurate diagnosis. He also works with a team of experienced podiatrists and physiotherapists to achieve optimal post operative rehabilitation. Experience has taught him that patients really appreciate the time spent in explaining their problems to them using drawings, slides, videos and models so that they can make an informed choice regarding their own management.

Based in South Wales, Sandeep has successfully treated foot and ankle problems both conservatively and surgically in elite track and field athletes. He has also treated sportsmen from Cardiff City Football Club, Glamorgan Cricket Club and the Welsh Badminton Union.

Sandeep is a member of the faculty on MSc Course in Bioengineering at Cardiff University. He regularly teaches on the National surgical training programme for orthopaedic trainees. He is on the Faculty of the International Graf course for ultrasound scanning of baby hips. Over the years he has published in various National and International medical journals. He is a member of the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society and the British society for children’s orthopaedic surgery.

In 1999 he was appointed as a Consultant to the University Hospital of Wales Cardiff. This is a large teaching hospital and tertiary referral centre in the Capital City of Wales. He is also an Honorary Clinical tutor at The Welsh National School of Medicine. He obtained his Medical degree from Bombay University in 1999 and went on to do his postgraduate degree in Trauma and Orthopaedics at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. He then worked as a Senior Lecturer there gaining extensive surgical experience in managing complex trauma and performing Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery. He then underwent further Higher Surgical Training for 6 years on the All Wales training Programme. He obtained his FRCS from Glasgow and the FRCS (Tr&Orth) from the intercollegiate Board in Edinburgh. He completed his CCST in 1999. He did his Fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada where he further improved his surgical skills and decision making before returning to south Wales to take up a Consultant role in Cardiff.

Mr Stuart James

Consultant Spine Surgeon
BM, MRCS(Eng), FRCS(Orth)

Mr Stuart James is a Consultant Spinal Surgeon who runs private spinal and back pain clinics from Vale Healthcare's private hospital, Vale Hospital and Cardiff Bay Clinic in south Wales. Offering specialist consultation on all types of spinal conditions, Stuart's NHS practice is based in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, South Wales.

Stuart undertook his medical training in Southampton University, before returning home to Wales. Here he undertook his basic surgical training and also specialist training in Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, before undertaking further sub-specialist training in Spine Surgery.

Stuart has completed a recognised spine fellowship in Bristol, UK, where he has gained extensive experience in all aspects of spinal disease, from trauma and tumour work through to adult and paediatric complex deformity of the spine. As well as his spine specialist training in the UK, Stuart James has gained furher exposure and training in cutting edge contemporary spinal techniques in Europe and the USA.

Mr James’s practice is solely in the field of spine surgery. The services that he provides as a Spinal Consultant in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan include injection therapies as well as all aspects of open spine surgery. Areas of specific interest include, sports injuries, adult degenerative spinal disease, cervical disease, deformity, motion preservation surgery and microscopic assisted minimally invasive techniques.

Mr James is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, and also a member British Association of Spine Surgeons and British Scoliosis Society. He has an active role in teaching, being an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Wales, and also AO spine faculty member as well as a tutor on the Royal College of Surgeons surgical skills and Orthopaedics courses. His research interests are in the role of minimally invasive surgery and its relationship to improved clinical outcomes.

Outside of Spine surgery, his interest are in sports particularly rugby, golf and tennis. He also enjoys traveling and family life.

Dr Colin Long

MB MS, MRCP
Consultant Dermatologist

Dr Colin Long is a Consultant Dermatologist at Vale Healthcare, and runs clinics with Vale Healthcare primarily the Cardiff Bay Clinic. Dr Long provides specialist private treatment for all skin conditions from his private dermatology clinics in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, at Vale Healthcare. Dr Long is a Consultant Dermatologist at Cardiff & the Vale NHS Trust and also works at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. He is interested in all aspects of Dermatology including the management of inflammatory skin disorders (rashes) such as eczema, psoriasis, urticaria and acne as well as the surgical treatment of benign and malignant skin tumours.

Dr Long currently holds the following positions:

Consultant Dermatologist: Cardiff & the Vale NHS Trust, Cwm Taf NHS Trust, Lecturer in Dermatology, Cardiff University, Clinical Lead in Audit, Directorate of Dermatology Cardiff & the Vale NHS Trust

Qualifications and memberships:

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Member of the British Association of Dermatologists, Registered with the General Medical Council as a Specialist in Dermatology.

Mr Geoffrey Shone

Consultant ENT Surgeon
MA FRCS

Geoffrey Shone has been an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) consultant at the University Hospital of Wales Cardiff since 1990 and brings huge experience of a wide range of ENT disorders to his private ENT consultant practice at Vale Healthcare, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan's leading private clinics and private hospital for ENT treatment in South Wales.

He trained in Cambridge, London, Cardiff, and in Michigan, USA.

Geoff has been the senior ENT surgeon in Cardiff for the last 5 years, and his roles have included Clinical Director of the department, audit lead, lead head and neck cancer surgeon at the hospital, Welsh Regional Advisor in ENT for the Royal College of Surgeons, and chair of the Head and Neck section of the Wales Cancer Services Coordinating Group.

With many ENT problems there are different types of treatment available, whether it be surgical or non-surgical; Geoff believes strongly in giving patients the information they need to choose what treatment they prefer, and in avoiding surgery if possible.

Geoff’s special interests include sinusitis, skull base surgery and head and neck cancer surgery, but the majority of his work involves counselling patients in the wide variety of general and common ENT problems such as nasal blockage and sinusitis, tinnitus, hearing loss, throat problems, and dizziness.

Make an enquiry about Geoff Shone's private ENT clinics and private ear nose and throat hospital treatments in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan's leading private healthcare provder here

Mr Vijay Singh

Consultant ENT Surgeon
MBBS, DLO RCS (Eng), FRCSEd (Otol), FRCS (ORL-HNS)

Vijay Singh is a private Consultant General ENT Surgeon, with a sub-speciality interest and experience in Rhinology (nasal medicine and surgery), Dysphagia (swallowing disorders) and Snoring & Sleep Apnoea. His private Ear, Nose and Throat consultant practice at Vale Healthcare covers Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan and south Wales.

In Rhinology, Vijay has considerable experience in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) and its extended applications such as the endoscopic treatment of epistaxis (nose bleeds), in addition to routine nasal surgery. He also carries out cosmetic nasal surgery by the closed Rhinoplasty technique.

Vijay was involved in the setting up of a regional Dysphagia service at Salisbury. He has published papers on the clinic based assessment of this problem and presented his results in international forums.

In Snoring and Sleep Apnoea, Vijay is hoping to set up a multidisciplinary assessment and treatment service in his NHS practice. He uses the latest techniques for the surgical treatment of this widespread problem.

He is a Consultant ENT Surgeon at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant. In his NHS practice, Vijay is a General ENT Surgeon with a sub-speciality experience as mentioned above. Prior to his appointment as a Consultant in 2001, Vijay was a Specialist Registrar in Wessex, training at Southampton, Portsmouth, Poole and Salisbury.

Vijay has published in medical journals nationally and internationally. He is a member of ENT-UK and the British Rhinological Society. He is actively involved in the teaching of trainee doctors as an Educational Supervisor.

Vijay strongly believes in a honest and multidisciplinary approach to treatment, through an open discussion with patients and close links with the referring clinicians and therapists.

Mr Robert Skyrme

Consultant Urological Surgeon
BSc(Hons)(Wales), MBBCh(Wales), FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Urol)

Robert Skyrme, is a Consultant Urological Surgeon. Rob is from Talgarth in Mid Wales, and is a Welsh speaker, who graduated from The University Of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff , South Wales in 1994. His basic surgical training was in South Wales. His urological training was also carried out in South Wales.

Since Rob's appointment as consultant urologist at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend he has established a continence service based in the urology unit, but has outpatient sessions at Neath Port Talbot hospital and community based clinics throughout the ABM trust. He is actively involved in training of junior doctors.

As a private urology consultant surgeon at Vale Healthcare - South Wales' leading private clinics and private Hospital in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan - Rob has joined with three other colleagues to developed a urological partnership – ‘Glamorgan Urology’, based on sub-specialist urological skills, that they will deliver at Vale Healthcare, Cardiff Bay., South Wales.

Mr Phill Thomas

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon - specialist hip consultant
MB BS FRCS (Orth & Tr)

Phill Thomas, a recognised hip specialist, is Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Honorary University Lecturer at the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, South Wales alongside his private orthopaedic consultant practice at Vale Healthcare, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan's leading private clinics and private hospital serving South Wales, UK..

Phill specialises in paediatric and adult hip disorders. This ranges from babies born with hip problems through to the elderly with hip arthritis. As a result of his paediatric hip interest, he specialises in young adult hip disorders, many of which are a consequence of childhood hip problems.

Phill Thomas has expertise in treating elite and professionals athletes with hip problems and is the orthopaedic surgeon for the Llanelli Scarlets rugby team. He is also orthopaedic surgeon to the senior Wales rugby team. He works closely with a multidisciplinary team in this highly specialist role.

Phill is trained to offer the vast majority of hip surgery procedures including hip arthroscopy, hip osteotomy, minimally invasive hip replacement, hip resurfacing and traditional hip replacement. He utilises the most up to date techniques and materials as many of his patients requiring hip surgery are younger than average. Phill believes strongly that the patient should be well informed and involved in their hip treatment. By being part of the decision making about whether hip surgery is needed and if so what type, the patient becomes part of the team, making informed choices for themselves at every stage of their hip treatment.

Before locating in South Wales, Phill Thomas trained to be a doctor at St Thomas’s Hospital, London. He did his orthopaedic training in South Wales and his fellowship at a world recognised specialist centre in Toronto, Canada. He currently works at University Hospital Wales in Cardiff, LLandough Hospital in the Vale of Glamorgan and Vale Healthcare. His duties involve teaching medical students and training the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons and hip specialists. He has an active research interest with numerous publications in peer review journals. His main area of research interest is Perthes disease of the hip. He is an active member of numerous orthopaedic societies including The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, The British Society of Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery and The British Orthopaedic Association. He frequently lectures and presents publications on his areas of expertise.

Phill Thomas is born and bred in West Wales and is happy to conduct consultations in his first language of Welsh if requested.

To find out more about hip surgery and hip replacement click here or visit Phill's website : www.cardiffhipreplacement.com/