The network values clinical collaboration and prides itself on being clinically led, ensuring that clinical expertise is a main driver for change within the region.
Dr Feilim Murphy has worked as a Consultant Paediatric Urologist in St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2007 after coming to London temporarily for 6 months in 2005 from Dublin. Prior to this he trained in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
He has been fortunate to work as a clinical director for paediatrics in SGUH and being the Secretary to the British Association of Paediatric Urologists prior to joining the network as the clinical lead for Surgery in Children (Sic) in 2018. Since then, he has had the privilege to work with many talented and caring individuals both within the STPN and at members trusts. Together we have been able to improve services for children with forearm fractures, spinal issues, tonsillitis, appendicitis and testicular torsion, to name both a few. Over the years the STPN has shown itself to be sensible, fair and apolitical with our only interest in enabling better care and outcomes for the children.
As an organisation we have grown and matured and thus we will meet the new challenges together with dedication and focus. As always Feilim is here to serve the network, every member of staff who cares for children in every hospital and our children, young people and families.
Dr Marcos Katchburian is a Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust with an elective practice and focus on Surgery in Children.
He developed the Paediatric Service at Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust that now serves as the regional referral centre.
Mr. Kiran Varad is a consultant paediatric ENT surgeon (ear, nose and throat specialist) based in Surrey, working at Royal Surrey County Hospital and Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital.
He is the Clinical Lead for ENT at the South Thames Paediatric Network, helping coordinate children’s ENT services across South London, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. He also serves as the Paediatric Surgery Lead at Guildford and St.Peter’s, with a strong focus on improving access to specialist ENT care locally.
Mr. Varad completed an advanced fellowship in paediatric ENT at Great Ormond Street Hospital, with further training in paediatric airway disorders and head and neck anomalies. He has since established a tertiary-level paediatric airway and head and neck anomaly service in Surrey, enabling families to access expert care closer to home.
Mr. Varad’s clinical practice covers the full range of paediatric ENT conditions, including airway disorders, sleep-disordered breathing, recurrent tonsillitis, neck lumps, and congenital head and neck anomalies. He regularly manages children requiring tonsillectomy, and has a particular interest in coblation intracapsular techniques, (a safer and more minimally invasive form of tonsillectomy).. He works closely with families and multidisciplinary teams to provide individualised care, and supports improved access to specialist paediatric ENT services across Surrey and the wider South Thames region.
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Dr Jatinder Sing Jeeta is a Consultant Paediatrician at Darent Valley Hospital who has worked in paediatric and neonatal critical care, retrieval and general paediatric services across the South Thames Network. He has been appointed as Clinical Lead for Paediatric Critical Care Levels 1 and 2.
Jatinder says ‘I hope to collaborate with colleagues from the full multidisciplinary team, to collectively share experiences, learnings and innovative practices, particularly whilst the pressures on our services continue to rise, with higher numbers of sick and more complex children presenting at our doors requiring our service. Providing high standards of paediatric critical care closer to home with improved patient safety and working towards more sustainable models of care whilst considering staff wellbeing are of great interest to me.’
Dr Nick Prince is a Consultant Paediatric Intensivist at St Georges Hospital who has an interest in education and training having held the roles of both College Tutor and Training Programme Director. Nick has been appointed as the Level 3 Critical Care lead for STPN. Nick says ‘I am passionate about developing the full breadth of STPN critical care services for the benefit of our patients and also our teams, with a strong focus on culture, wellbeing, inclusivity and engagement. I want all of our units to continue to develop the reputations for excellence they deserve through a positive approach to meeting the needs of our patients and families at all times.’
Dr Samantha Black is a paediatric and perioperative anaesthetist at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Kent. She is paediatric anaesthetic lead at Medway having established paediatric preassessment and HVLC paediatric lists. Her main interests include both adult and paediatric preassessment, CPET and prehabilitation. She is the patient information lead at the Royal College of Anaesthetists and has led on the projects ‘Dennis has an Anaesthetic’ and ‘Preparing your Mind’ as part of the colleges ‘Fitter Better Sooner’ toolkit. She is also part of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland perioperative committee, and was part of the team to write the first ever national paediatric preassessment best practice guidance. She is part of the team currently writing the best practice guidance in preparation and management of children and young people with additional needs requiring surgery or procedures.