New Consultant Gastroenterologist joins Galway University Hospitals

Dr Muhammad Farman, Consultant Gastroenterologist with an interest in pancreatico-bilary medicine has recently been appointed to Galway University Hospitals (GUH).

Dr Farman graduated from Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2007 and completed higher specialist training in Gastroenterology in Beaumont Hospital, the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, St Vincent’s University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital, Cork.

Most recently, Dr Farman completed a Fellowship in Hepatobiliary Medicine and Advanced Endoscopy from Kings College Hospital London, with a main focus on Endoscopic Ultrasound and ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) which is a technique used to diagnose and treat disorders of the pancreas, bile duct, liver and gallbladder.

Of his appointment Dr Farman said, “I’m looking forward to expanding the therapeutic endoscopy services in GUH and establishing diagnostic and therapeutic Endoscopic Ultrasound Scan (EUS) services for patients in the West of Ireland. EUS is used in the diagnosis and staging of a wide variety of pancreatic and upper gastrointestinal cancers and the management of biliary and pancreatic diseases. An EUS service is not available at any of the hospitals in the Saolta Group and patients currently have to travel to Dublin.”

Ms Chris Kane, General Manager, GUH said of the new appointment, “We are delighted to welcome Dr Farman to Galway where he will be a valuable addition to our medical team. As a designated referral hospital for cancer services we treat patients from all over the West and North West. The appointment of Dr Farman is an important step towards establishing a EUS Service here for the West of Ireland and we are currently seeking funding for the specialist equipment to progress the development of the service. This new service will remove the need for our patients to travel to Dublin and reduce preventable delays in diagnosis and treatment as a result of onward referrals.”