Dr Helen Fidler

After qualifying from Guy’s Hospital and intercalating a first class honours degree in psychology, Dr Helen Fidler continued her general medical and gastroenterology training in London centres of excellence. Her MD, looking at the causes of Crohn’s disease, was published in the BMJ, and undertaken at the Middlesex Hospital.

Senior Registrar attachments at University College Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital completed her gastroenterology experience including hepatology. For Dr Fidler's consultant post she moved back to home territory in the South East of London, where she was appointed as Consultant Gastroenterologist at University Hospital Lewisham in 1998. This busy hospital serves a population of over 300,000 people in a very varied catchment area, and is a National Bowel Cancer Screening Centre. Since her appointment, she has built up the department to include four gastroenterologists and specialist nurses.

Widely published, she continue's her research interests in endoscopy and quality of life data in inflammatory and irritable bowel syndrome with papers in both areas currently submitted 2010. Dr Fidler keeps her clinical practice up to date by attending advanced courses and examination skills in endoscopy and colonoscopy (2010).

With a background in psychology, she really enjoys the challenge of making her patients' pathway from diagnosis and investigation to treatment as stress free as possible and find that a relaxed and friendly approach with patients and colleagues is essential.

In June 2010 she completed a 360 audit as part of our Trust’s drive to improve patient services, and of 23 patients all reported they were ‘very satisfied’ with their outpatient consultation.

Her specialist background in luminal gastroenterology includes oesophageal, gastric and duodenal disorders and colonic inflammation and motility problems. Thus patients with difficult reflux symptoms, possible gastric malignancy and ulceration are commonly referred.

Of particular interest to her is the clinical differentiation and diagnosis of colon symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Liaising closely with expert dieticians, clear algorithms based on 2010 guidelines can be used to treat difficult functional symptoms. Prompt exclusion of other pathologies, and when indicated colonoscopic skills are essential for difficult symptoms, her colonoscopic completion rates exceed the national average.

When not working, Dr Fidler spends her time with her five children, neurologist husband, four chickens and a rather scruffy vegetable patch and when allowed plays the violin.

Clinical Interests

• Gastroenterological problems
• Inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis and management
• Accurate diagnosis and up to date treatment of irritable bowel syndrome
• Treating 'difficult' IBS using a combination of medical/dietetic and cognitive behavioural input
• Rectal bleeding and lower gut symptoms
• Upper GI including oesophageal reflux symptoms and dyspepsia investigation and management

Professional Memberships

• British Society Gastroenterology
• Royal College of Physicians (Fellow)