Head of School of
Radiology
Programme Director
Deputy to Programme
Director
Regional Adviser
Chairman of STEC
Honorary Lecturer
Head of School of Radiology
Dr John Curtis
john.curtis@aintree.nhs.uk
Dr Curtis trained mainly in Liverpool. He was Regional Education Adviser for Radiology 2002-2008. He has held
PRHO posts at Whiston and St Helens Hospitals and trained in General Medicine as an SHO at Whiston and The
Royal Liverpool University Hospitals. Following 12 months as a medical registrar at Halton General Hospital, he
entered the training scheme in Radiology in the Mersey Region in 1992. He undertook a Fellowship in Thoracic
Radiology at Harvard Medical School in 1997.
Dr Curtis is a Consultant Radiologist with an interest in chest radiology at University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool. Apart
from his interest in chest radiology, he is actively involved in the teaching and training of radiology trainees, non-
radiology trainees and undergraduates.
University
Representative
Programme
Administrator
Research Lead
Lead SpR
Junior Representative
STEC
Established in 2002
Programme Director
Dr Rebecca Hanlon
rebecca.hanlon@aintree.nhs.uk
Dr Hanlon trained in Leeds and joined the Mersey Radiology Rotation in 1996. She was appointed as a Consultant
Radiologist at Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust in 2001 and has an interest in Head and Neck Oncology and ENT imaging.
She was clinical tutor at Aintree for three years before becoming Programme Director in 2007. Dr Hanlon is involved in
teaching and training as well as recruitment and annual assessment of the registrars.
Deputy to Programme Director
Dr Simon Lea
Simon.lea@whnt.nhs.uk
Dr Lea trained in Oxford and Manchester before joining the Mersey Radiology Training Scheme in 1997. Appointed as
a Consultant in 2002, he was Radiology Tutor for Wirral University Teaching Hospital, before becoming Clinical Director
of Radiology in 2007. He is the Deputy to the Programme Director and maintains contact with the trainees through
assessment, appointment and as part of the Mersey School of Radiology. His main interest is in Interventional
Radiology.
Regional Adviser
Dr John Holemans
john.holemans@lhch.nhs.uk
Dr Holemans developed an interest in Cardiothoracic radiology whilst a medical student at Charing Cross and
Westminster Medical School, London. He graduated in 1989 and subsequently trained as a radiologist at Guy's and St
Thomas's Hospitals, London and also spent a short attachment at the The Royal Brompton Hospital. In 1997 he was
appointed a Consultant Radiologist at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and became Head of Department in
2002. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists, Royal College of Physicians and British Institute of
Radiology. His major interests are HRCT, lung cancer, multislice CT angiography and Cardiac MRI. He is committed to
maintaining and improving standards of patient care and specialist training. He is an associate for the Healthcare
Commission, and also a Partner for the Post Graduate and Medical Education Training Board.
Chairman of STEC
Dr Gian Abbott
gian.abbott@coch.nhs.uk
Dr Abbott trained in Mersey Region. He was college tutor for the Countess of Chester Hospital. He held PRHO posts at
Royal Liverpool Hospital and general medical and A and E posts at Broadgreen Hospital. He began training in Radiology
in 1989. He did a Fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Duke University Medical centre in 1994.
Dr Abbott has been a Consultant Radiologist at the Countess of Chester Hospital since 1995. He is interested in
Interventional Radiology and is involved in developing the EVAR programme for the Hospital. He is also interested in
gastrointestinal radiology. He is involved in teaching and training registrars, F2s and undergraduates. He has been TAC
chairman for 3 years.
Honorary Lecturer
Dr Joseph Evans
joeevans@doctors.org.uk
Dr Evans trained at Liverpool Medical School graduating with Honours in 2005. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of
Radiologsts in his final year of radiology training. He has a sub speciality interest in Uro-radiology.
In his role as honorary lecturer, Dr Evans is involved in teaching of medical students, allied healthcare professionals
and more junior radiology registrars.
University Representative
Julie Walton
MSc, DCR(R), DMU, FETC
Senior Lecturer & Director of Postgraduate Studies, School of Health Sciences, University of Liverpool
Former President of the British Medical Ultrasound Society.
Julie.Walton@liverpool.ac.uk
Telephone (0151) 794 5765
Julie Walton is the principal academic interface between the University and Mersey School of Radiology. She sits on
the MSR Board and works with the Head of MSR to ensure that MSR functions effectively within the University
environment to promulgate high quality Radiology education and training, underpinned by a sound research ethos. Her
background is in medical ultrasound and this interest has led to MSR developing an innovative ultrasound teaching
programme with assessment of competence for all specialist trainees, with hands-on training in a skills laboratory
setting . This programme has received national accolade with MSR being the first School of Radiology in the UK to
introduce such assessment.
Programme Administrator
Joan Scott
j.c.scott@liverpool.ac.uk
Telephone (0151) 794 5766
Joan Scott plays a pivotal role in the seamless running of the Mersey school of radiology scheme. She is located in the
University of Liverpool, School of Health Sciences and has vast experience and knowledge of all aspects of the Mersey
Radiology Scheme. Joan first became involved with the Radiology Training Programme in 1982 when she was appointed to
the post of PA to Graham Whitehouse, Professor of Radiodiagnosis at the University of Liverpool. Joan was appointed
Programme Administrator to Mersey School of Radiology in 2002 and now provides full administrative support for the
radiology training scheme.
Lead SpR
Dr. Shubhabrata Biswas
drbiswas77@doctors.org.uk
Dr. Biswas completed his primary medical qualification in India. After completing his Core Medical Training in Mersey
Deanery, he went on to pursue his career in Clinical Radiology and is currently a 5th year Registrar. He has a keen
interest in training affairs and hopes to play an active role in this matter during his time as Lead SpR. As a father of two,
he believes in optimising the balance between family life and work.
