You can rest assured that all NSC staff are fully trained and conversant with the latest techniques in treating varicose veins. Only highly qualified Consultant Vascular Surgeons carry out the treatments and information on their qualifications and experience is listed below.
Michael Gough studied medicine at Leeds University, graduating in 1975. He subsequently completed surgical training in the Leeds Teaching Hospitals and at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He also undertook a period of full time research for the degree of Master of Surgery. Following an initial consultant appointment to the Bradford Hospitals (1986) Professor Gough was appointed to the staff of The General Infirmary at Leeds in 1990. Since that time he has established a specialised vascular service including a tertiary referral centre for complex vascular problems. In addition he has also supervised major research projects particularly related to the management of carotid disease (GALA Trial: an international multicentre randomised trial of general versus local anaesthesia for carotid endarterectomy). Further he pioneered the introduction of endovenous laser therapy for varicose veins in the UK and has conducted a number of clinical research studies that have confirmed the benefit of this treatment and refined the technique to obtain optimum results. He is an examiner for the Inter-Collegiate Board in General Surgery, Associate Director of Surgical Training in the Yorkshire region, a member of the Quality Assurance Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and was President 2008 of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland (www.vascularsociety.org.uk)
Paul Edwards studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and the Middlesex Hospital Medical School. He qualified in 1977 and his surgical training included an anatomy lectureship in Cambridge and a period of full time research in Liverpool culminating in a masters degree from the University of Cambridge. He was appointed as Consultant General Surgeon at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 1990 with an interest in Vascular Surgery. Professor Edwards has both a vascular and general surgical interest. He undertakes most vascular surgical procedures including minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins including EVLA and foam sclerotherapy. He also has a busy laparoscopic practice, particularly with regard to gall bladder and bile duct surgery and hernia surgery. He also undertakes endoscopic gallstone removal (ERCP). He is a member of the Royal Colleges of England and Edinburgh, the Vascular Society, Association of Upper Gastro-intestinal Surgeons and a member of the faculty for the Basic Surgical Skills courses at the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Kevin Mercer studied medicine at Nottingham University, and graduated in 1991. He completed his surgical training in the Leeds and Bradford Teaching Hospitals. He also undertook a period of full time vascular research for the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Leeds University. He was appointed as full-time consultant vascular surgeon at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2005. Mr. Mercer completed formal training in vascular ultrasound, with a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Ultrasound (with a distinction) from Leeds University, and has developed a subspecialty interest in ultrasound guided minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins, including EVLA and foam sclerotherapy. In addition to treatment for venous diseases of the lower limb he performs surgery for a full range of diseases of the arterial system; including peripheral vascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and carotid artery disease. He also has an interest in vascular access surgery. He is a member of the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland and the European Society of Vascular Surgery and a Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He has regular outpatient clinics at the Yorkshire Clinic, Bradford Road, Bingley.