Medical Advisory Panel

The PRDA Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) is made up of experienced health professionals and researchers from across the UK, all of whom share a particular interest in Pelvic Radiation Disease (PRD). Their diverse expertise helps ensure that our information is accurate, evidence-based, and aligned with best clinical practice.

Providing trusted clinical insight and expert guidance, our MAP advisers contribute to many aspects of PRDA’s work, including:

Provide a medical opinion in response to enquiries from PRDA Trustees/staff.
Contribute to the collaborative development and review of our information resources and guidance materials.
Provide clinical guidance to support enquiries from healthcare professionals.
Offer general information to inform responses to personal enquiries from PRDA services users. (PRDA does not provide medical advice to individuals living with PRD).
Represent PRDA at external conferences or events when expert speakers are required.
Signpost to specialists within a geographical area or medical discipline who have a special interest or experience of caring for patients with PRD.
Provide mentorship to healthcare professionals considering or beginning new research into PRD.
Encourage health professional colleagues to join our PRD Community of Practice.
Nominate colleagues with an interest in becoming a PRDA Medical Adviser.

Medical Advisers may support PRDA in one or more of these roles, depending on their availability and individual areas of interest.

Please note: while our Medical Advisory Panel may provide general clinical guidance to support enquiries from healthcare professionals, it cannot offer individual medical advice or respond to personal health enquiries from people living with Pelvic Radiation Disease. If you have concerns about your own health, please speak with your GP or specialist healthcare provider.

Interested in getting involved?

If you’re a healthcare or research professional with an interest in PRD, there are two key ways to get involved:

Join our Medical Advisory Panel: We welcome expressions of interest from qualified professionals who would like to contribute their expertise to our clinical guidance and advisory work.
Become part of our Community of Practice: Coordinated by our Professional Engagement Coordinator, this collaborative network brings together healthcare and research professionals from a range of disciplines and settings. Through shared learning, peer support, and joint initiatives, members are helping to strengthen PRD services and advance research in this evolving field.

To learn more or express your interest in joining, please get in touch.

Our Medical Advisory Panel currently comprises:

Professor Jervoise Andreyev, MBBS, MA, PhD, FRCP, Consultant Gastroenterologist at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Honorary Professor at The School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham.

Professor Andreyev’s first degree was in Arabic Studies. He qualified in medicine in 1987 and completed a PhD in molecular biology in 1997. In 2000, he was appointed Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Gastroenterologist at Imperial College. In 2006, he moved to the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, becoming the first gastroenterologist worldwide appointed specifically to treat GI side effects of cancer treatments. In 2017, he moved his clinical practice and research base to Lincoln County Hospital, where he is developing exciting links with Lincoln University.

Throughout his career, the multidisciplinary clinical and research teams he has led have produced substantial clinically focused evidence to redefine the scale of problems caused by GI consequences of cancer therapies, why they occur, and the best approaches to prevent and treat these conditions.

Charlotte Beardmore, FCR MBA BSc(Hons) DCR(R&T) is Director of Professional Policy at the Society and College of Radiographers.

Dr Jan Bornschein, MD, PhD, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division.

Rhea Crighton, RN, BSc (HONS), MSc, Non-Medical Prescriber, Lead Gynae-Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Associate Lecturer at University West of England – Independent Prescribing and Cancer Care Modules.
Dr Sally Darnborough, Beatson Cancer Charity and Macmillan Cancer Support Lead Clinician Late Effects Pelvic Radiation Disease at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow

Dr Lisa Durrant, PhD, MSc. Macmillan Consultant Radiographer for radiation late effects at Beacon Radiotherapy, Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Lisa Durrant is a therapeutic radiographer with a clinical role providing symptom support for people experiencing late effects from radiotherapy treatment. As part of the South West Radiotherapy Late Effects Services, she is committed to raising awareness of Pelvic Radiation Disease and ensuring access to holistic care. She is also an Honorary Clinical Fellow at the University of Exeter, with a particular interest in simple, evidence-based approaches to understanding and improving the management of radiotherapy late effects.

Professor Sara Faithfull, PhD, MSc, BSc(Hons), Oncology cert, RGN, Visiting Professor, Radiation Therapy, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Ireland.

Sara trained as a cancer nurse in 1986 at the Royal Marsden Hospital (UK) and has worked in many oncology-related fields including neuro-oncology, radiotherapy and urology. She undertook her BSc after qualifying as a nurse and has always been passionate about combining the role of the nurse with that of a researcher. Sara was the recipient of the Smith and Nephew Nursing fellowship in 1991 and a CR-UK Nursing Research Fellowship in 1994. She obtained her Ph.D. from the Institute of Cancer Research in 2000. She was President of the European Oncology Nursing Society 2008-2010 and works with the European Society for Radiation Oncology (ESTRO). She is a nominated member of the European Academy of Cancer Scientists.

Championing the support for people who continue to experience consequences of cancer and its treatment Sara has worked with clinical teams and patient groups to provide better survivorship care especially for those receiving radiotherapy. Sara has over 80 academic publications and contributed as an author to several oncology text books. Sara has a strong interest in men’s health and has worked in multiple service-related projects to support men with prostate cancer, she is a trustee of PCUK charity. Although retired, Sara continues to support research and clinical projects.

Gina Giebner, RD, MSc, BSc (Hons), Specialist Dietitian for the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS and director at The Rehab Dietitian Limited.

Gina is an advanced specialist oncology dietitian with over 20yrs of experience in dietetics. Gina has and currently works in a number of areas of oncology, specialising in gastrointestinal cancers. Gina has completed Masters level training in gastrointestinal side effects from cancer treatments both during and long after treatment.

Dr John Green, MBBch MD FRCP, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Cardiff and Vale UHB, and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Medical Education at Cardiff University.
Dr Caroline Henson, MBBS PhD MRCP, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Claire Higham, BA, DPhil (Oxon), MBBS, MRCP (Diabetes and Endocrinology), Consultant Endocrinologist, Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Mr Pardeep Kumar, MB, ChB, PhD, FRCS Urology. Consultant Urological Surgeon, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Shameer Mehta, MBBS BSc(Hons) MRCP AFHEA MD(Res), Consultant Gastroenterologist, The Royal London Hospital, Honorary Associate Professor, University College London.

Dr Ann Muls, RN, MSc, PhD, Macmillan Nurse Consultant (GI consequences of cancer treatment). Clinical Academic Researcher, GI unit, at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Lisa Punt, DCRT, MSc. Centre Head at Maggie’s Centre at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.

After graduating in 1992, Lisa worked as a therapy radiographer at Addenbrooke’s hospital. With a keen interest in Gynaecological cancer, she went on to develop a consultant radiographer led pathway which included engaging with local gastroenterologists to pilot a late effects referral pathway. In 2011 she completed her Masters at Sheffield University with a research focus on vaginal consequences following pelvic radiotherapy. She then went on to contribute to national guidance on vaginal dilator use and late consequences of pelvic radiotherapy for gynaecological patients. In 2014 Lisa took up the position of centre head at Maggie’s, Cambridge where she continues to support people affected by cancer. Lisa became a PRDA Trustee in May 2020.

Dr Karen Robb, PhD, BSc, MCSP, Programme Implementation Director for Cancer, Movember UK.
Dr Clare Shaw, PhD RD.
Dr Rhodri Stacey, Consultant Gastroenerologist, Swansea Bay University Health Board.
Professor John Staffurth, Clinical Reader in Oncology at Cardiff University, and Consultant Oncologist at Velindre NHS Trust, Cardiff.
Dr Claire Taylor MBE, PhD, MSc, PGCAP, BN, RGN. Chief Nursing Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support and Senior Nurse Oncology at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust.

Dr Tony Tham, MB BCH BAO, MD, FRCP, MSc. FESGE, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast.

Dr. Tony Tham is a Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at the Ulster Hospital, Belfast.
Within the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), Dr. Tham serves on the Governing Board and is currently chair of the ESGE Guidelines Committee and has chaired the ESGE Curriculum Working Group and current member of the Scientific Committee.
He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers. He has held editorial roles with Gut, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and has been invited to lecture at major international meetings worldwide.
A past President of both the Irish Society of Gastroenterology and the Ulster Society of Gastroenterology, Dr. Tham has also served on the Executive of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to gastroenterology services and standards, he received the BSG President’s Medal in 2021.
He is currently Vice Chair of the World Gastroenterology Organisation’s Media and Community Engagement Committee and serves as an external assessor for Ireland’s Bowel Scope Programme.
Dr. Tham has held several leadership roles in medical education, including Head of the School of Medicine (Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency), Training Programme Director for Internal Medicine, and Deputy Chair of the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board’s Specialist Advisory Committee in General Internal Medicine.

Mr Ramesh Thurairaja MD, FRCS (Urol), FEBU, Consultant Urological Surgeon, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London.

Mr Ramesh Thurairaja is a distinguished consultant urological surgeon. He completed advanced fellowships in Switzerland and the UK, gaining expertise in both open and robotic surgical techniques, including complex bladder cancer and reconstructive procedures. He was previously a consultant at Kent & Canterbury Hospital, where he established and led the robotic bladder cancer service for East Kent. He also completed an MD thesis on prostate cancer and has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in international journals.

Mr Thurairaja is now a Consultant Urological Surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. He is a pioneer in managing radiation cystitis, running the UK’s only specialist Radiation Cystitis Clinic, which has been operating since 2016. The clinic treats complex urinary and pain symptoms resulting from pelvic cancer radiotherapy and sees patients from across the country, with referrals accepted from both specialists and GPs.

Susan Vyoral, RD, BSc (Hons), Macmillan Oncology Dietitian, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, Surrey.
Dr Ana Wilson, BA(Oxon), BMBCh, MD, FRCP, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Specialist Endoscopist; Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer Imperial College London; Deputy Director Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (St Mark’s); Co-Chair Colorectal Pathway Group RMP; Trust Lead for GI Consequences of Cancer Treatment, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust.

Modified: 30^th October 2025