All
Director & Consultant Physician
Consultant Physician
Clinical Nurse

WHAT IS THE SPVU

The Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit (SPVU) was founded at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow with the appointment of Prof Andrew Peacock in 1990. Because of increasing need and awareness that patients with these disorders require highly specialised care, the service was formally designated by the National Services Division (NSD) of the Scottish Executive in 1999 with the mandate to provide high quality care for all patients in Scotland with pulmonary vascular disorders.

The unit principally investigates and treats patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. We will consider referrals for patients with hypoxic lung or cardiac disease where the degree of pulmonary hypertension is out of proportion to the comorbidity. Funding for the modern treatments for these conditions comes centrally from the NSD. Patients with chronic thromboembolic disease are discussed with the UK Thromboendarterectomy Service at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. If transplantation is required, we act as a conduit to the Heart & Lung Transplantation Unit in Newcastle

All
Pulmonary Vascular Fellow
Research Physio
Research Nurse
Research Scientist
Service Manager
Radiologist
Secretary
Data Manager
Pharmacist
Admin Assistant
Consultant Physician

DISCLAIMER

The Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit seeks to ensure that the information published on its website is up to date and accurate. However, the information on the website does not constitute medical, legal or professional advice and the SPVU cannot accept any liability for actions arising from its use. The SPVU cannot be held responsible for the contents of any pages referenced by an external link.

 
Dr Mel Brewis was appointed as a respiratory consultant in 2015 and previously worked at GRI. She trained as a pulmonary vascular fellow at SPVU between 2011 -2014. She has an interest in cardiac MRI research of the right heart in pulmonary hypertension.
 
Dr Martin Johnson graduated in Natural Sciences (Physics) from Cambridge University in 1985 and worked at the Philips Research Laboratories from 1985 to 1988 on the mathematical modelling of semiconductor devices.  After studying medicine at Leeds University between 1988 and 1993, he acquired an MD at the University of Glasgow in 2006 and now works at the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit.  His interests include pulmonary hypertension and cardiopulmonary physiology especially applied to exercise testing and exercise training. 

Dr Colin Church

Dr Colin Church is one of the pulmonary vascular consultants. He has trained in respiratory medicine in Glasgow, Australia and Cambridge and has undertaken specialist pulmonary vascular training in Golden Jubilee and Papworth Hospitals.  He has an interest in the basic science of pulmonary vascular remodelling, the process which leads to the development of pulmonary hypertension. He has recently completed his PhD which looked at the role of the MAPK pathway in pulmonary hypertension and is keen to develop the basic science understanding and translational impact of this in patients.

Agnes

Agnes Crozier RGN,MA (SocSci) Lead Nurse at the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit working as part of a multi disciplinary team to deliver individulised specilaist nursing care to patient using a holistic approach to ensure all physical and psychological needs are meet.

Karon

Karon Carson qualified as a staff nurse in 1989 and soon developed an interest in respiratory nursing. She continued to develop her interest in this field achieving an MSc in Respiratory Care in 2010. Karon has been instrumental in nursing service development including early supported discharge, COPD self management, nurse-led clinics and palliative care service for non-malignant lung disease. She won a Scottish Health Care award in 2012 following nomination from a patient. Karon joined the SPVU team in January 2014.

Rachel

Rachel Thomson. Having qualified as a nurse in 1979 Rachel has been a respiratory nurse specialist for the past 10 years. She joined the SPVU in February 2015 and has a special interest in distraction therapy for breathlessness, patient oxygen therapy and palliative care.

Dr Paul McCaughey graduated from Edinburgh University in 2010 and completed his foundation training there before working in Australia for 2 years. He returned home to Glasgow in 2014 where he started training in Respiratory Medicine. He started working at SPVU in August 2017 where he is currently undertaking clinical research. 

 
Dr Sandy MacLellan. I grew up on the Isle of Islay and completed undergraduate medical training in Dundee. I developed an interest in Respiratory Medicine whilst undertaking a variety of hospital jobs in the Glasgow area. Since August 2018 I have been a Clinical Research Fellow at the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit, a post which I have found to be greatly interesting and rewarding.
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Joanna

Joanna Ford is a Physiotherapist at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Glasgow. She gained her BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy degree at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2003. She has extensive knowledge in a variety of clinical specialities and vast experience in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from advanced heart failure. Joanna has recently been appointed as a Research Physiotherapist for the SPVU team and will be involved in exercise training for patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension.
 
Dr Michael McGettrick graduated from Edinburgh university in 2010. On returning from working in Australia in 2014, he has started general medical and respiratory training in the West of Scotland. He has recently joined SPVU as a clinical research fellow, focussing mainly in cardiac MRI and CT scanning. 

 

Fiona

Fiona Thompson is a Research Nurse at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Glasgow. She graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2007, and specialised in Cardiothoracic nursing, based at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, for seven years. She joined the SPVU department in October 2015 as part of the Research Team.

Alex

Alex McGuire is the Clinical Services Manager for Regional and National Medicine at the Golden Jubilee.  Alex moved to GJNH in April 2016, and has extensive operational managment experience, having previously worked in the NHS in England, and more recently NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Michael

Dr Michael Sproule graduated from Edinburgh University in 1988 and commenced his radiology training in Glasgow on 1992. During his training he developed an interest in respiratory radiology and from 2001 has provided most of the imaging for the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit. His principal role is in the interpretation of CT, helping to establish the diagnosis and aetiology of pulmonary hypertension.

Val

Val Irvine. Senior SPVU Research Nurse,BSC, RGN.
Trained at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh hospitals. She has worked in Glasgow post registration since 1995 in General Medical and Respiratory wards.  She became a Research Nurse attached to SPVU in 2004.

Kirsty

Kirsty Menzies works as a Medical Secretary in the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit. She has worked for them both at the Western Infirmary and now at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital. She has been with the Unit for 10 years.

Veronica

Veronica Ferry has been working as a Medical Secretary for the SPVU team since 2009. She will answer any general enquiries from clinicians, patients and relatives – and will forward any queries you may have on to the appropriate member of the SPVU team so that they can assist you.

Kirsty

Kirsty Menzies works as a Medical Secretary in the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit. She has worked for them both at the Western Infirmary and now at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital. She has been with the Unit for 10 years.

David

Dr David Welsh. Head of Basic Science Research Group at the SPVU. My main interests involve looking into translational approaches to help understand the underlying causes of pulmonary hypertension. This work involves both molecular signalling on a cellular level to pre-clinical development of novel PH therapies. The research undertaken in our basic science laboratory has contributed to the development of a novel potential PH drug which is being tested in clinical trials at present.
 
Dr Simon Sheridan. Qualified in Medicine, Glasgow University 1998. Completed Radiology training in 2007 and after completing a Fellowship in Perth, Western Australia was appointed Consultant Radiologist with an interest in Thoracic Radiology at Gartnavel General Hospital in 2008.
 
Jay Thaker is the Data Manager at Golden Jubilee Hospital. Jay joined SPVU team in April 2018, with extensive experience in Data Management. He previously worked at NHS GG&C and also had an experience of working at NHS England.
 
Nadine Turner. I have nine years experience working as a specialist clinical pharmacist in hospitals in Glasgow. Before joining SPVU I worked in respiratory specialties in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. My role in SPVU involves ensuring the safe and effective supply of medications to patients in the service and enabling patients to make the most of their medications.
 
Prof Andrew Peacock, MPhil, MD, FRCP:, Professor in Medicine at the University of Glasgow (Respiratory Medicine) and Director of the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit , at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank, near Glasgow (one of the UK's seven designated specialist pulmonary units). Dr Peacock is author of more than 200 papers, reviews, and chapters on pulmonary vascular disease. He is co-editor with Lew Rubin and Robert Naeije of Pulmonary Circulation: diseases and their treatments (4th Edition in press). In 2015 he was awarded the ERS Lifetime achievement award for his work in Pulmonary Hypertension.
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