Visit of Israeli Colorectal Surgeons
On Monday 2nd March 2020 the Association hosted the group of visiting Israeli Colorectal Surgeons led by Prof Alex Deutsch (Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva) and Dr Reuven Weil (Hasharon Hospital, Petach Tikva).
The visit was supported by the Israel, Britain and the Commonwealth Association John Firman Fund and the David Yanir Foundation.
While in the UK they were the guests of Mr Richard Cohen (University College London Hospital), Mr Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (Kings College Hospital) and Mr Andrew Williams (St Thomas’s Hospital), and attending a course at Basingstoke Hospital.
The following visitors (with their hospital affiliation) took part:
Dr Elad Boaz (Shaarei Zedek Hospital, Petach Tikva)
Dr Rabia Darwasha (Barzilai Hospital, Ashkelon)
Dr Yael Feferman (Rabin Medical Centre, Petach Tikva)
Dr Vladimir Gaziantis (Shamir Medical Centre, Tzrifin)
Dr Asaf Harbi (Rambam Hospital, Haifa)
Dr Dror Karni (Haemek Medical Centre, Afula)
Dr Muhammad Mansour (Galilee Medical Centre, Nahariyah)
Dr Igor Markovich (Hasharon Hospital, Petach Tikva)
Dr Mai Mazarieb (Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva)
Dr Yaron Rudnicki (Meir Hospital, Kfar Saba)
Dr Ken Dror Shai (Meir Hospital, Kfar Saba)
Dr Alon Wachtel (Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot)
After a reception there was a discussion meeting on the topic of Gut Neuroendocrine Tumours – “NET: for any surgeon or not?”
The session was introduced by Prof Deutsch. Two cases of neuroendocrine tumours were presented, from Drs Feferman and Ken Dror.
This was followed by an authoritative review of the subject from Prof Martyn Caplin (Professor of Gastroenterology and Neuroendocrine Tumour Biology, Royal Free Hospital and University College London) and Prof Maralyn Druce (London Association Chair and Professor of Endocrine Medicine and Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Barts Health NHS Trust).
On her return to Israel Dr Fefernan wrote to thank the Association for their hospitality. She said that she was honored to receive the scholarship and was grateful for the opportunities it provided. In the UK she was attached to University College London Hospital. While there she had learned about the UK healthcare system, and the methods of organization and provision. From a clinical perspective she had the opportunity to observe several operations. She was especially grateful to Mr. Richard Cohen for his personally care and attention.
A visit to the House of Lords had been arranged for the group, and Dr Fefernan said that she was fortunate to be shown round by Lords Polak and O’Shaughnessy, whose stories and insights about small things that reflected centuries of British culture and civilization. The Colorectal Diseases Masterclass (M25) at Basingstoke was very well organized and she felt she had learned a great deal from it. Overall the experience had her abilities as a young colorectal surgeon, and she looked forward to implementing what she had learned both about working conditions and cancer treatment on her return to Israel.