About our service

We provide a specialist endoscopy service for direct access patients in County Durham and other local areas, as well as a comprehensive endoscopy service for elective, surveillance and emergency inpatients. Procedures we currently provide include:

  • Gastroscopy
  • Colonoscopy (including Bowel Cancer Screening at Bishop Auckland Hospital) 
  • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Cystoscopy
  • Endoscopy Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
  • Capsule Endoscopy (Including Colon Capsule Endoscopy as part of national trial)
  • Cytosponge for Barrett's surveillance
  • Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) for treatment of Barrett's oesophagus

Please note: some procedures are currently only available at certain sites.

We are a team of Consultant Endoscopists, Gastroenterologists, Surgeons, Nurse Endoscopists, staff nurses and team assistants. We are supported by a team of secretaries and booking staff. We also work closely with other specialist nurses including upper and lower GI nurse specialists and IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) nurses. The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is supported by the Endoscopy Unit at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

Some people feel anxious or worried when they are told they need to have a colonoscopy procedure, but it is important to have this test if you are referred. 

Research

We have a very active research team and as a Trust we are often involved in numerous studies, this includes endoscopy. You may be contacted by a member of our research team to see if you would be interested in being involved in a research study. Any involvement in research would only ever be with you prior knowledge and consent.

We have three Endoscopy Units at University Hospital of North Durham, Darlington Memorial Hospital and Bishop Auckland Hospital.