Miss Deirdre Lyons Consultant gynaecologist

Background

Miss Deirdre Lyons qualified in 1990 from the National University of Ireland. She has been practising in obstetrics and gynaecology since 1991 and completed her specialist training in 2001. She was appointed lead for colposcopy in 2002 and as hospital-based screening programme co-ordinator for cervical screening in 2003. She also works for Public Health England for a half session a week as colposcopy lead professional advisor for London. She is also treasurer of the National Colposcopy Society (BSCCP) and runs the National Colposcopy Exit exams. Miss Lyons sits on the BSCCP Certification & Training and IT committees. She chairs the London Colposcopy Group, whose main aim is to progress teaching/training and research/audit in colposcopy in London. She is head of specialty for community gynaecology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and has a genuine belief in providing specialist care closer to patients' homes.

Miss Lyons is one of the consultant leads for the rapid access clinic at St Mary's Hospital and has over 10 years' experience in cancer diagnostics. She believes in the rapid assessment and treatment of patients with possible gynaecological cancers. She also has an interest in vulval disease and works along with my specialist colleague, Dr Micheline Byrne, clinical lead for vulval disease, to provide specialist care to patients with vulval disease. She also leads the high resolution anoscopy service - one of only five units in the UK. This aims to provide early diagnosis and treatment of anal pre-cancerous conditions, with the aim of preventing disease progression.

Miss Lyons has a particular interest in the use of IT to improve patient care and integrating this into the whole patient journey. She is lead for gynaecology in the implementation of the electronic patient record and believes we can provide safer and more standardised patient care with the full use of electronic assistance available.

Expertise

Colposcopy , rapid access clinic, vulval disease, general gynaecology including menorrhagia, pelvic pain, fibroids, community gynaecology , directorate digital strategy implemenation

Research & publications

Miss Lyons' research interests are colposcopy and cervical disease - working with the Wolfsson Centre for Preventative Disease on HPV testing, where one multinational trial on a 'therapeutic HPV vaccine' has just been completed and they are just beginning another therapeutic vaccine trial. The colposcopy service supports the very important research in premature delivery after cervical treatment being undertaken at the Trust. The innovative 'i-knife' trial looking at its use in pre-malignant disease is being trialed at St Mary's Hospital and if this is found to be effective, then it will allow for more tailored treatments for pre-malignant cervical disease. The colposcopy service has a very active audit profile and regularly presents data both nationally and internationally.