In 1999, I graduated from the University of Leeds Medical School with distinction in surgery. Following basic training, I spent two years in full time surgical research, during which I developed the Newcastle Enhanced Recovery Programme in colorectral surgery, and designed and completed several clinical trials looking at interventions to improve patient recovery from major surgery.
I was awarded national and international prizes for the research and gained an MD with distinction from Newcastle University. I then continued higher surgical training in the North East, sub-specialising in coloproctology.
I have undertaken a year's fellowship training in colorectal surgery in a large tertiary centre in Auckland, New Zealand. This allowed me to gain further experience in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and complex open intestinal failure / abdominal catastrophe surgery with surgical nutrition.
I was appointed as a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at UHND in April 2012. My clinical interests include colorectal cancer, enhanced recovery after surgery and surgical nutrition. I am clinical lead for colorectal cancer and clinical governance lead for general surgery.
Email: sarah-jane.ridley@cddft.nhs.uk
'As I was very, very nervous, I must have been the worst patient ever and they were brilliant with me and I can't thank them enough - could you please pass on my sincere thanks.'
Patient, Hysteroscopy Unit, Chester-le-Street Community Hospital