Meet the team
Meet the team
Matthew Wheater
Consultant Oncologist
Matthew Wheater was appointed as a consultant Oncologist at University Hospital Southampton in 2011. He completed his speciality training in medical oncology in Wessex and Bristol, and then undertook a 3-year Cancer Research UK research fellowship at the University of Southampton, which involved investigating signalling pathways in kidney cancer. His particular interests include advanced melanoma and urological cancers, such as testicular cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer and bladder cancer.
Sachin Modi
Consultant Radiologist
Sachin Modi has worked at University Hospital Southampton since 2015 and has been a Consultant Interventional Radiologist for three years. He graduated in 2007 from St Georges’- University of London, obtaining an intercalated BSc (Hons) in Immunology alongside his medical degree. He then went on to specialise in clinical and interventional radiology in the Midlands. Following this, he undertook a fellowship in interventional radiology/oncology at the renowned McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Sachin’s primary interest is for interventional oncology and his specialist expertise is in liver directed treatment for primary or metastatic liver cancer. He is licensed in chemoembolization (TACE- delivering bead with chemotherapy into liver arteries) and radioembolization (SIRT- delivering particles with radiation into liver arteries). He also performs other liver, gynaecological and vascular interventions. His work with diagnostic radiology involves the reporting of hepatic, biliary, abdominal and vascular imaging using MRI, CT and ultrasound scans.
Sachin enjoys spending time with his wife and family, keeping fit, playing and watching football and travelling. He enjoys trekking, completing the three peaks challenge in 2017 and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.
Sanjay Gupta
Consultant Anaesthetist
Sanjay Gupta has worked as a consultant at Spire Southampton and Southampton General Hospital since 2006, graduating from Kings College London Medical School in 1993. Accredited in both Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, he is able to provide anaesthesia for most operations and any ongoing post-operative critical care requirements. He also works regularly in intensive care to look after both post-surgical and medical patients in both Southampton General Hospital and Southampton Spire.
His main sub-specialties include major Oncological Surgery, particularly Hepato-Biliary (including liver, pancreas and gallbladder) and Colo-Rectal Surgery. He is lead anaesthetist for Delcath Chemosaturation PHP for liver-directed therapy at Southampton and has led in establishing an Enhanced Sedation service both in the NHS and private hospitals. These allow patients to undergo unpleasant procedures (such as endoscopy, interventional radiology and ERCP) with deeper but very short acting sedation.
Sanjay enjoys teaching medical students during his NHS work at University Hospital Southampton in both formal settings and in the context of direct patient care. He is an accredited training proctor with Delcath Chemosaturation, teaching the procedure to centres world-wide and is a clinical advisor to the company helping to ever improve its safety and patient experience.
Sophie Gray
Senior Clinical Perfusionist
Sophie Gray specialises in all aspects of paediatric and adult clinical perfusion but has a particular interest in coagulation and platelets. Sophie has been a member of the team for minimally invasive regional therapy, percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) with melphalan for patients with hepatic metastases from ocular melanoma, since 2013. Sophie has undertaken numerous cases at both Spire Southampton and University Hospital Southampton where she has been a key member of the FOCUS study team.
Sophie graduated from Keele University in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences and obtained a training position as a clinical perfusion scientist at University Hospital Southampton. Since accreditation with the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland in 2010, she has remained at Southampton gaining experience in all aspects of paediatric and adult perfusion and associated techniques. Sophie manages Education & Training of trainee perfusion scientists at University Hospital Southampton and also holds a post on the executive committee of the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland where she trained as an examiner in 2017.
Rachael Saunders
Senior Clinical Perfusionist
Rachael Saunders is an experienced Senior Clinical Perfusion Scientist who has been a part of the Chemosat Delcath team since 2017. Rachael has performed Delcath procedures both at Spire Southampton and University Hospital Southampton where she is a member of the FOCUS study team.
Rachael graduated from Kings College, London in 1998 with a BSc (Hons) in Human Biology and secured a post as a trainee Perfusion Scientist at St Thomas’ Hospital in 1999. Later the same year she moved to Southampton General Hospital to continue her training and qualified in 2001. As a member of the perfusion department at Southampton General Hospital, Rachael undertakes both adult and paediatric perfusion. She also is involved in the ECMO team who provide support for, mainly, paediatric ECMO.
Debbie Brooks
Chemosaturation Coordinator
Debbie is at the core of the Chemosat team and is there to guide you throughout the process. Once you have made contact, Debbie will request further information to establish suitability for treatment. This information may include things such as primary tumour type, previous treatments, general medical fitness, current medication and allergies. She can also arrange up to date scans or give details on how you can send any existing scans to us. This information is all collated and then reviewed by our MDT who can advise on the best course of treatment either by email, Skype consultation or in person at Spire Southampton.
If you are offered Chemosaturation she can give also advise on funding options and discuss the costs involved. If you need help with insurance pre-authorisation, she can arrange for forms to be completed or relevant specialist letters to be sent.
Once you have been accepted for therapy by our team, she will organise your treatment date and admission to hospital. She can also help with other administrative issues related to family members travelling and their accommodation and advice on local restaurants.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Team
Pippa Woodcock supported by Rachel O'Shea and Layla Vaughan
We are fortunate to have a Clinical Nurse Specialist Team consisting of Layla Vaughan who is our cancer care coordinator and two Clinical Nurse Specialists, Rachel O’Shea who looks after our cancer patients on a systematic pathway and Pippa Woodcock who looks after our patients on the surgical pathway, including Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (DELCATH).
Whilst Pippa is the main point of contact for our patients undergoing Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (DELCATH), by working as a team they ensure that there is cover available throughout the year during period of leave.
What can you expect?
Our Clinical Nurse Specialist will make contact with you before your admission. They talk you through what to expect on admission and throughout your admission and after discharge. They will also answer questions you may have, or find the answer for you if not immediately to hand. They will complete a pre-assessment questionnaire with you and will explain the investigations required and arrange for your bloods and swabs to be done and make the necessary appointments. You will have access to their mobile so that if between them calling and your admission you have any other queries or concerns, you will be able to contact them during the week.
Whilst you are in hospital, they will visit you daily on the ward and will be able to answer questions as well as giving you advice about what to expect after discharge. At discharge they will make sure that you have the oncology 24/7 contact number for any urgent clinical concerns.
Our Nurse Specialists will continue to follow you up for the first four weeks following the procedure to see how you are progressing, complete the quality of life questionnaire and answer any queries or concerns you or your family may have. They are there is provide both clinical and emotional and are able to signpost you to more help and support if you need it. They are available during normal working hours for clinical and emotional support and will liaise with your consultants about any interventions that may be required. They work closely with our co-ordinator Debbie Brooks to make your treatment as streamlined as possible.
Contact Numbers:
Pippa Woodcock Work Mobile: 07936 940369
When on leave this will be forwarded to Rachel O’Shea.
If you prefer to email then we use a group mail box to ensure that someone responds during the week: SouOncologyCNS@spirehealthcare.com, this mail box can be accessed by the Clinical Nurse Specialist and means that even if Pippa is away, one of the team will respond during the normal working week.
24/7 Oncology Emergency telephone number: 07519 108 442
which is the telephone number you can call if you feel unwell following your treatment. For instance if you have a temperature higher than 37.5C or lower than 36.0c, any signs of an infection (for example, shivering episodes, flu like symptoms, chest infection), persistent nausea or vomiting or and diarrhoea or any other problem you think may be related to your treatment.
Our Team
Your care is very much a team effort: from the time we first make contact right through to your admission on the ward, your treatment on the day and your post-op care in the critical care unit.