Meet the team

Mark has been with Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth since 2013, progressing from Finance Manager to Hospital Director in 2016. His knowledge of the hospital is fantastic, and his passion for providing the best service possible is evident through his enthusiasm and drive.

Mark is a qualified Accountant with more than 10 years post qualified experience. He has worked at a senior level across a wide range of industries, from luxury bed manufacturing and high end motor vehicle retail, to the production and supply of organic fruit and vegetables. Regardless of which sector he has been in, Mark has always made quality and service to customers his number one priority. This is even more true here at Peninsula, where the patient is of paramount importance. An experienced manager with commercial acumen, Mark is a clear and concise communicator who has a proven track record of introducing business change. He always strives to do things better, an ethos which has become intrinsic to the whole team at Peninsula.

Mark’s desire to constantly improve the patient experience saw him manage the build of two new theatres and an endoscopy suite in late 2016; his proudest achievement to date. The development will provide even greater choice to the people of Plymouth and surrounding areas.

When he’s not busy working, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters and is a very keen cyclist.

Andy Burgess joined the Royal Navy as a medical cadet whilst in Sheffield where he was at medical school on completion of his first degree. After duties on frigates he embarked on anaesthetics in Plymouth, then Bristol and Sheffield. After higher training he spent nearly two years as the Principal Medical Officer on HMS Ark Royal before appointment in 1995 as a consultant at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

He has taken an active part in NHS management and after a tenure as Derriford Hospital’s Clinical Director for Theatres, took over as Clinical Director of Anaesthesia, Theatres and Pain in 2005 for another three years. Clinical work included anaesthesia for neuro, orthopaedics, plastics, trauma and paediatrics.

Whilst serving as an anaesthetist in the military, he regularly supported Royal Marine surgical teams in Sierra Leone, Oman, Kosovo and Iraq. He was deployed three times to Afghanistan, twice as anaesthetist, clinical director and member of the MERT helicopter evacuation team and in 2011, as the Medical Director in the Role 3 Trauma facility in Bastion leading a multi-national team.

As subsequent Defence Consultant Advisor (DCA) he led the tri-Service Anaesthetic, Critical Care and Pain cadre, the largest clinical group in the Defence Medical Services, for three years and was a co-opted member of the Council of Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) until May 2015 when he took up his position as Military Clinical Director in the South West. Prior to leaving the Royal Navy he received the honorary title of Queen’s Honorary Surgeon (QHS), was awarded the Joint Forces Command Commendation and the AAGBI Award for services to anaesthesia.

He joined Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in April 2017 shortly after leaving the military and has been working as an anaesthetist there prior to his appointment as Medical Director.

Living in Devon with his family, Andy has a passion for fishing – seatrout and salmon on the fly from the river Tavy or bass from his small boat off Plymouth. He is a member of the “Cape Horner’s Association” after sailing 6,000 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean and beyond in a Challenge 67’ yacht, and he has raced in yachts in Antigua and the 2017 Fastnet Race. In the last five years he has e completed two local half marathons, the London Marathon and a “30 miler yomp across Dartmoor, and cycled from London to the AAGBI Harrogate conference in 2014 and from London to its Liverpool conference in 2017, raising funds for the “Safe Africa” anaesthesia charity.

I have worked within the NHS and Independent sector hospitals for more than 20 years. I joined Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in 2015 as Clinical Governance Manager. In 2019 I was promoted into the Operations Manager post. In this role, I gained experience in Building Maintenance, Project Management and working with external contractors. I did this whilst ensuring my Clinical skills were kept up to Date and Leading on Clinical Governance. In February 2020 I was successful in my application for Head of Nursing & Clinical Services. This, during the very challenging time of the COVID-19 outbreak. I work closely with all departments to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

Name: Sarah Fell

Job title: Senior Finance Manager

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2019

Languages spoken: English

Personal interests: Travel and music

Professional profile: (at least two paragraphs)

Sarah comes to the hospital with a wealth of experience in NHS and health finance. She qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2002, following a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business and Finance from the Swansea Institute of Higher Education and a degree in Public Policy and Management from Sheffield Hallam University.

As well as extensive experience within the NHS in the South West, Sarah has also worked in the commercial sector (including as Finance Manager for Partnerships South West at construction firm Galliford Try PLC) and comes to Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth from Plymouth City Council where she was Finance Business Partner.

Membership of professional, national or regional bodies: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Caroline started with Practice Plus Group in 2005 and worked at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth for 5 years, finishing as the Patient Pathway Manager. In 2010 she took the opportunity to move to Head Office and train as a Business Analyst becoming a member of the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) in 2012.

She is also a Registered Change Management Practitioner having undertaken training in 2013.

Caroline has worked within Urgent, Primary and Secondary care over her Practice Plus Group career and was delighted to be given the opportunity to return to Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in February 2014 as the Patient Services Manager. She has always believed in providing the best patient care and experience possible and working with such a committed team in Peninsula allows her to continue to do this.

Name: Dr Zoltan Mihalik

Job title: Consultant anaesthetist and intensivist

GMC number: 6126275

Specialty: Anaesthetist

Special interests: Ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia, TIVA; neuromonitoring during general anaesthesia; adult general intensive care; emergency medicine

Year of first medical qualifications: 1999

Year of becoming a specialist: 2005

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2017

Languages spoken: English, Hungarian

Personal interests: Travelling

Professional profile:

Dr Zoltan Mihalik graduated from medical school in 1999 at the Semmelweis University, Hungary and completed his speciality training in ‘Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy’ five years later. He obtained two European specialist qualifications in anaesthesia and intensive care in 2009.

Dr Mihalik has authored and co-authored a number of papers in Hungarian peer-reviewed journals and has presented numerous papers at national and international conferences.

Membership of professional, national or regional bodies:

General Medical Council

Medical Defence Union

Royal College of Anaesthetists

Name: Dr Antonio Martin

Job title: Anaesthetic lead

GMC number: 7031549

Specialty: Anaesthetist

Special interests: Acute and chronic pain management

Years of first medical qualifications: 2004

Year of becoming a specialist: 2009

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2014

Languages spoken: English

Professional profile:

Dr Antonio Martin graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at University of Barcelona, Spain. He is skilled in anaesthesia management of surgical specialities including general, orthopaedics, trauma, ENT, urology, obstetrics, vascular, gynaecology, thoracic, neuro, paediatrics and major oncological surgery.

Mr Miller graduated from Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Poland in 1991. After completing his specialist training in Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery he obtained his CCST (FRCS Trauma and Orthopaedic equivalent) in 1998, followed by a PhD degree in Orthopaedics at the Silesian Medical University in 2002.

He worked as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in Poland for six years and came to the UK in 2004 aiming to further improve his professional skills. He worked as a Senior Registrar at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London and later successfully completed a prestigious fellowship in Young and Adult Hip Surgery with Mr Richard Villar at the Wellington Hospital in London, followed by a Senior Clinical Fellowship in Pelvic and Acetabular Surgery and Revision Lower Limb Arthroplasty at St George’s Hospital in London.

Since January 2010 he worked as a Locum Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Yeovil District Hospital until December 2010, when he was appointed as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth.

Mr Miller has written and co-written several papers in his specialist field and is a member of the Reviewer’s Panel for the British edition of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

Name: Dr Jill Barker

Job title: Consultant anaesthetist

GMC number: 2348313

Specialty: Anaesthetics

Special interests: Orthopaedic anaesthesia, regional anaesthesia.

Years of first medical qualifications: 1976

Year of becoming a specialist: 1996

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2013

Languages spoken: English

Personal interests:  Cycling, sailing, walking

Professional profile:

Dr Jill Barker trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in London. She obtained her Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists in 1981. She was a consultant anaesthetist at Barnet Hospital from 1992 until 2004 when she left to work in Whangarei Hospital, New Zealand. While she was there she obtained her Fellowship of the Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. She returned to the UK in 2013 and joined the team at Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre.

She has a special interest in regional and local anaesthesia using ultrasound control. She is one of the medical appraisers for Practice Plus Group.

Membership of professional, national or regional bodies:

Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland

Medical Protection Society

Mr Beardsmore qualified MBChB from Manchester University with a BSc in Medical Science from St. Andrew’s University. After registration he demonstrated anatomy at Liverpool University, then joined the Basic Surgical Training Scheme at Manchester University qualifying FRCSI.

He then undertook specialist orthopaedic training on the North West rotation and gained the CCST intercollegiate specialist orthopaedic qualification. He was a pre-graduate lower limb fellow and did a post-graduate upper limb fellowship at Wrightington.

Keen to return home to Cornwall, Mr Beardsmore held locum consultant roles at Royal Cornwall Hospital and North Devon District Hospital before taking a permanent position at the Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth.

Mr James Brown read Medicine at Bristol, qualifying in 1996. His formal surgical training started with six months at the prestigious Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, continuing with the All-Wales training program in trauma and orthopaedics. He gained significant trauma experience at the busy centres of Cardiff and Swansea. He developed an interest in surgery in developing countries during a six month attachment to an orthopaedic unit in the Transkei, South Africa.

After award of the certificate of completion of specialist training, Mr Brown undertook a one-year Fellowship  in foot and ankle surgery at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, finishing in December 2011. He followed this with a further four month Fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex. This is a tertiary referral centre for complex cases.

He took up his consultant post at the Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in May 2012. He currently undertakes a high volume of elective foot and ankle cases, including ankle arthroscopy, joint fusions, joint injections, tendon reconstructions and forefoot problems. His knee surgery caseload includes arthroscopy and knee replacement.

Brought up in the area, he is delighted to have returned to practise orthopaedics. He is married with three young children.

Name: Mr Tomasz Wudecki

Job title: Consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon

GMC number: 6121451

Specialty: Orthopaedics

Special interests: Hip and knee arthroplasty, shoulder, elbow and knee soft tissue reconstructions

Year of becoming a specialist: 2003

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2005

Languages spoken: English, Polish

Professional profile:

Mr Tomasz Wudecki gained his medical diploma from the Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Poland, as well as his Trauma and Orthopaedics Specialist training. He has a special interest in hip and knee replacement surgery, and shoulder and elbow reconstruction.

Mr Wudecki joined the team at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth when it opened in 2005, and in 2013 was awarded full Fellowship ad eundem by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He has also co-written two publications relating to injuries sustained by volleyball players. This was a result of his involvement in the medical care of the Polish national volleyball and ski-jumping teams.

Mr Wudecki consults for international medical consulting organisation Gerson-Lehrman Group. He also gained skills and successfully commenced appraising medical doctors. In cooperation with Plymouth University Medical School he is participating in teaching medical students.

Membership of professional, national or regional bodies:

Royal College of Surgeons of England

Name: Dr Jacek Gawecki

Job title: Consultant anaesthetist

GMC number: 5198134

Speciality: Anaesthetist

Special interests: anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery, regional anaesthesia, ultrasound techniques in anaesthesia

Year of first medical qualification: 1990

Year of becoming a specialist: 1999

Year of joining Practice Plus Group: 2005

Languages spoken: English, Polish, German, Russian

Personal interest: Cycling, running, sea kayaking, free diving, hiking.

Professional profile:

Dr Gawecki graduated from the Medical Academy in Lublin, Poland in 1990. He started his medical career in emergency medicine taking up a training post with the Emergency Ambulance Service in Lublin. In 1994 he started working at the University Teaching Hospital in Lublin, where he gained experience in anaesthesia in many surgical specialities including general surgery, gynaecology, obstetrics, thoracic surgery, urology, ENT, vascular surgery, trauma, interventional radiology, organ transplant, neurosurgery, cardiosurgery.

In 1999 Dr Gawecki completed his anaesthetic training and become a consultant. His main area of interest were cardioanaesthesia, neuroanaesthesia and intensive care. He also pursued his interest in emergency medicine by taking up a part-time role with the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service.

Dr Gawecki joined the Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in 2005 when hospital was created. Using his vast experience from previous post in university hospital he played active part in developing successful patients pathways, introducing new techniques in regional anaesthesia and pain management.

MBBS FRCS (Tr & Orth) RAFrtd

David is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and recognised as a specialist in lower limb and revision joint replacement surgery. He has recently joined the team at the Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth to provide primary and revision hip and knee replacements.

David offers a full range of primary and revision hip replacement options and also a full range of treatment options for knee arthritis including high tibial osteotomy, partial knee replacement, total knee replacement and revision knee replacement. His aim in every case is to provide accurate joint reconstruction to ensure maximal functional recovery

David graduated with honours from the Medical College of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London in 1991. Having joined the Royal Air Force his basic surgical training was undertaken in London, at RAF Halton and at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. He achieved Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1996.

Higher Specialist Training in Orthopaedics took David through registrar placements in Plymouth, Truro, Oxford (Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and John Radcliffe Hospital) and Middlesbrough. In addition, David spent six months as a DePuy Arthroplasty Fellow at the Melbourne Orthopaedic Group in Australia where he further developed his skills as a joint replacement surgeon. He completed final fellowship examinations and was awarded FRCS (Tr & Orth) in 2001. David left the Royal Air Force in April 2015 after 26 years of service at home and on active service overseas.

Having spent five years as the Lead Surgeon for Trauma at Derriford Hospital and from his work as a deployed military orthopaedic surgeon, David has gained a wealth of experience in dealing with trauma, fractures and sports injuries. As a result he also undertakes a wide variety of trauma related procedures ranging from knee and ankle arthroscopy to complex fracture fixation and reconstructions.

David remains committed to the teaching and training of medical students and orthopaedic trainees and regularly provides orthopaedic lectures for Physiotherapists and General Practitioners. He also trains visiting consultants in the use of certain total hip, partial knee and total knee replacement systems. David has also provided orthopaedic surgery in rural Kenya as part of a charitable group known as the Kenya Orthopaedic Project.