Our Team
Consultants
Meet our team of consultants
Dr Pamela McHenry
Medical Director
Dr Pamela McHenry
Medical Director
Dr McHenry launched the Belfast Skin Clinic in 2016 to offer a complete range of treatments for all skin and skin related conditions by consultants who are recognised experts in their field, in a new dedicated, purpose built facility.
After graduation, Dr Mc Henry undertook general medical training in the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (1985-1989). Specialist Dermatology training was in Glasgow from 1989 -1995, initially as a Specialist Registrar in Dermatology and then as a Senior Registrar and Clinical Lecturer. As Clinical Lecturer she was responsible for running an MSC course in Dermatology. During this time, while working for Prof Rona Mackie, she also did research on Skin Cancer in the Elderly for which she was awarded an MD. During her training she undertook secondments in Paediatric Dermatology with Dr David Atherton at Great Ormond Street and in surgery with Dr Richard Motley in Cardiff. In 1995, she began working full time as a Consultant Dermatologist at the Western Infirmary and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) in Glasgow, eventually becoming clinical lead at RHSC. She has been working in private practice in Belfast since 2007 but continued to work part time in her NHS post in Glasgow until 2013.
Dr McHenry has extensive experience in all aspects of general dermatology. She has developed further ‘sub-speciality’ interests in paediatric dermatology, vulval skin disease, hair disorders, moles and skin cancer screening.
Dr Olivia Dolan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Olivia Dolan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Olivia Dolan is a Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatological/Mohs’ Surgeon at The Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. She qualified in medicine at Queens University Belfast and after general medical training, completed a research fellowship and dermatology speciality training in Belfast. Following this she undertook a subspecialty clinical fellowship in Cutaneous Oncology and Dermatological Surgery at the Department of Dermatology and Cancer Centre, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
She is the Clinical Lead for the Northern Ireland Melanoma and Complex Skin Cancer Network and is Chairperson and Lead Clinician for the Northern Ireland Specialist Skin Cancer MDT.
Dr Dolan is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research. She is a past Honorary Secretary of the Irish Association of Dermatologists and a current member of the British Association of Dermatologists skin cancer sub- committee and NICE guideline development group for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Her specialist interests are Mohs’ Micrographic Surgery, melanoma and the epidemiology of skin cancer.
Dr John Mckenna
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr John Mckenna
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr John Mckenna is a very experienced Consultant Dermatologist and Mohs Micrographic Surgeon at the Belfast Health and Social Care NHS Trust.
He moved from University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, England in March 2021 having been a Consultant Dermatologist and the Lead Mohs Surgeon there for 13 years.
He did his Medical degree at the University of Glasgow, qualifying in 1999. He then returned to Belfast where he did most of his post graduate medical training and specialist dermatology training.
He did an additional 12 month sub-specialist fellowship in complex skin cancer surgery and Mohs Micrographic Surgery in Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London in 2007. Following this he took up his NHS Consultant post in Leicester in 2008, where he established and led the Mohs Micrographic Surgery service for the region.
He has been the Skin Cancer Lead for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for the East Midlands region in England and has been the local Principal Investigator for multiple NIHR adopted national studies. These have been in the fields of psoriasis, rosacea, pyoderma, melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and skin cancer wound healing.
He treats adults and children with a wide variety of skin problems, as well as operating on complex facial skin cancers.
Dr Collette McCourt
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Collette McCourt
Consultant Dermatologist
Memberships
- Member of the Royal College of Physicians
- British Association of Dermatologists
- Irish Association of Dermatologists
- British Society for Medical Dermatology
Background
Dr Collette McCourt MB BCh, MRCP (UK) (Derm) is a Consultant Dermatologist in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. She undertook specialist training in immunodermatology in Vancouver, Canada prior to taking up her consultant position in Belfast. Her specialist interests include treating adult patients with acne, skin cancer, psoriasis, eczema and connective tissue disease. In addition, she performs minor surgical procedures including skin biopsies and cryotherapy. She has a strong interest in medical education and research and has co-authored text book chapters and has published papers in peer-reviewed publications in both medical education and dermatology.
Dr Suzanne Clements
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Suzanne Clements
Consultant Dermatologist
Qualifications
MBChB University of Manchester 2001
MRCP(UK) 2004
PhD in Genetics and Molecular Medicine 2014
MRCP(Derm) 2014
PGDip in Skin Ageing and Aesthetic Medicine 2016
Background
Dr Clements graduated from the University of Manchester in 2001 and began her dermatology training at the Dermatology Centre at Salford Royal Hospital in 2005. She then trained at St John’s Institute of Dermatology based at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospitals in London. She spent a further 3 years conducting research in genetic skin disease and obtained a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Medicine from the University of London. Dr Clements underwent her dermatology specialist training in Belfast and is a Consultant Dermatologist at the Belfast City Hospital.
Dr Clements’ research led to numerous peer-reviewed publications and she has presented at national and international dermatology and scientific meetings. She was awarded the Burrows Cup for Best Laboratory Research at the Irish Association of Dermatologists meeting in 2012. Dr Clements also has in interest in cosmetic dermatology and cutaneous laser surgery, and recently completed a 2-year Postgraduate Diploma in Skin Ageing and Aesthetic Medicine from the University of Manchester in 2016.
Mr Declan Lannon
Plastic Surgeon
Mr Declan Lannon
Plastic Surgeon
Consultant Plastic Surgeon (appointed 2009)- Northern Ireland Plastic and Maxillofacial Service, The Ulster Hospital, Dundonald
- MB BCh BAO- University College Dublin, 1994
- FRSCI- Royal College of Surgeons, 1998
- FEBOPRAS- European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, 2006
- FRCS (Plast)- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Mr Lannon has a special interest in Head and Neck Oncology, including Oral Cancer and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery
Ms Claire Black
Plastic Surgeon
Ms Claire Black
Plastic Surgeon
Ms Claire Black- Consultant Plastic Surgeon (Appointed 2006), Northern Ireland Plastic and Maxillofacial Service
- MB BCh BAO-June 1994, Faculty of Medicine, The Queens University, Belfast
- MRCS- November 1999
- MD- July 2004, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, The Queens University Belfast
- FRCS(Plast) October 2008
Ms Black has been a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust since her appointment in April 2012.
-Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH)
-Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
Ms Black has completed Clinical Fellowships in St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery & Burns, as well as Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
Ms Black’s current post is within the regional burns unit and regional childrens’ hospital but her post also involves provision of support for orthopaedic, general, vascular, cardiothoracic, neuro and paediatric surgery dealing with complex wounds and soft tissue reconstruction
Mr Mel Tohill
Plastic Surgeon
Mr Mel Tohill
Plastic Surgeon
Mr Tohill graduated with MB BCh BAO from Queen’s University in 1997 having been previously awarded First Class Honours in Therapeutics and Pharmacology in 1995. Upon completion of his Houseman’s year in the Mater Infirmorium Hospital he entered core surgical training in Belfast. During this time, he developed an interest in plastic and reconstructive surgery and decided to commit to pursuing a career in this highly competitive specialty. Mr Tohill moved to London in 2001 and was appointed as a Research Fellow in the internationally-renowned Blond McIndoe Laboratories based in the Royal Free and University College London Medical School.
Archibald McIndoe was a pioneering plastic surgeon of the WWII era and developed many techniques to treat severely burned air crew from the RAF and Commonwealth air forces. His patients formed the ‘Guinea Pig Club’ which have been the subject of many books and TV programmes. Mr Tohill developed techniques for nerve regeneration during his research and published and presented his findings nationally and internationally. He received a PhD upon completion of his work from University College London. Following his research Mr Tohill entered higher surgical training in plastic surgery and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 2009. He completed his training with fellowships in Frenchay Park Hospital, Bristol and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London. During this time, he gained advanced training in breast reconstruction, lower limb trauma, head and neck reconstruction and microsurgery.
Upon completion of his training in 2011 Mr Tohill moved to Scotland following appointment as a consultant plastic surgeon to Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee. He later moved to an appointment in the internationally recognised Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit in Glasgow, a unit which has made major contributions to the field of plastic surgery over the last 50 years. Mr Tohill returned to Belfast in January 2017 to take up an appointment in the Northern Ireland Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery Service based in the Ulster Hospital Dundonald.
His key areas of interest are in reconstructive microsurgery for breast reconstruction, skin cancer and medical education.
Miss Sandra McAllister
Plastic Surgeon
Miss Sandra McAllister
Plastic Surgeon
Miss McAllister is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon based at the Ulster Hospital Dundonald.
She qualified from Queen’s University Belfast in 1999, and after completing core surgical training, spent just over two years as a Research Fellow at the University of Toronto. She was awarded a Doctor of Medicine degree in 2007 from Queen’s University Belfast for her research work.
Miss McAllister trained in Plastic Surgery in Belfast and Dublin, and undertook further research into wound healing, as an Academic Clinical Lecturer at Queen’s University. She was awarded the Hunter Doig Medal by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2017, for the quality of her clinical and research work, and commitment to surgical education.
After completing clinical training, Miss McAllister worked as a Senior Oncoplastic Fellow in the Welsh Unit for Burns & Plastic Surgery. She was appointed as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in 2019. Miss McAllister has a special interest in the management of patients with skin cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.
Dr Michelle McHenry
Consultant Rheumatologist
Dr Michelle McHenry
Consultant Rheumatologist
Dr Michelle McHenry is a Consultant Rheumatologist at BHSCT, based at Musgrave Park Hospital and RVH, Belfast. Dr McHenry trained at Queen’s University, Belfast and completed her post-graduate training in Rheumatology in Northern Ireland and Dublin.
Dr McHenry is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Queens University Belfast and on the GMC Specialist Register for Rheumatology.
Dr McHenry is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London and a member of both the British and Irish Societies of Rheumatology
Dr McHenry is Chair of the Regional Biologic Expert Group and convener of the Northern Ireland Regional Rheumatology Education Group meetings.
Dr McHenry interests include early diagnosis and treatment in adults of Inflammatory Arthritis, musculoskeletal ultrasound, the use of biologics and connective tissue diseases.
Ms Julie Reid
Vascular Surgeon
Ms Julie Reid
Vascular Surgeon
Miss Julie Reid is Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon, based in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
She graduated from Queens University Belfast Medical School in 1997 and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine for her research in carotid artery disease. She completed her Fellowship examination in General Surgery with a subspecialist interest in Vascular Surgery, and spent a year in Leeds General Infirmary training in techniques to treat varicose veins.
She returned to take up her post in The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in February 2010 and is the only female Vascular Surgeon in Northern Ireland
She offers treatments for all aspects of venous disease and has a large amount of experience in the latest minimally invasive techniques for treating varicose veins and thread veins.
Treatments offered in Belfast Skin Clinic are tailored to the patient’s specific needs whether that is cosmetic improvement, relief of symptoms or prevention of future complications such as bleeding and ulcers. These treatments include radiofrequency ablation, ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy for thread veins.
For more information visit www.juliereidvascular.co.uk
Dr Samiya Rahman
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Samiya Rahman
Consultant Dermatologist
Memberships
- Member of the Royal College of physicians
- British Association of Dermatologists
- European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
- North of England Dermatology Society
Qualifications
- MBBS University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2008
- Bachelor of Science, Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, 2007
- MRCP(UK) Membership of Royal College of Physicians, 2013
- MRCP (Derm) Specialty Certificate in Dermatology, 2016
Dr Samiya Rahman MBBS, BSc Hons, MRCP (UK)(Derm) graduated in 2008 from St Barts and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry. She began her dermatology training at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals and completed her training in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield University Hospitals. During her training she has presented work at national and international meetings and conferences including the British Association of Dermatology, North of England Society of Dermatology, Royal Society of Medicine, British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease and European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. She has won an award for best presentation at the British Society for Paediatric Dermatology. She is also published in the peer reviewed journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology.
Dr Rahman worked as a consultant in Hereford County Hospital, Wye Valley NHS Trust and her team gained national recognition by winning the Dermatology Team of the year at the British Medical Journal awards in 2021. She has also worked in Sheffield Children’s Hospital seeing and treating paediatric dermatology patients.
Dr Rahmans area of expertise include paediatric dermatology, skin cancer, vulval dermatology and general dermatology.
Dr Nicola Cooke
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Nicola Cooke
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Cooke graduated from Nottingham University in 1999 and, following a period of general medical training, she completed her dermatology specialist training in 2011. She has been working as a local Consultant Dermatologist in the NHS since 2011 and has considerable experience in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of skin problems including skin cancer, pigmented lesions, acne, eczema, psoriasis as well as other less common skin conditions. She has a particular interest in the diagnosis and management of patients with hair loss. Dr Cooke regularly performs dermatological procedures including skin biopsies, excision/removal of skin lesions, intralesional steroid injections and cryotherapy.
Qualifications
B Med Sci (Hons) University of Nottingham 1997
BM, BS University of Nottingham 1999
MRCP (UK) 2003
PG Cert Med Ed University of Dundee 2011
MPhil Queens University Belfast 2013
Memberships
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London
Member of British Association of Dermatologists
Member of the Irish Association of Dermatologists
Member of the British Hair & Nail Society
Member of the British Society for Medical Dermatology
Associate member of the Higher Education Academy
Dr Ronan Brennan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Ronan Brennan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Ronan Brennan is a consultant dermatologist in the Belfast trust. He graduated from National University of Galway in 2011 and following postgraduate core medical training, completed dermatology specialist training in Belfast in 2019.
Areas of expertise include paediatric dermatology, skin cancer and general dermatology.
He also has a strong interest in medical education and has completed a master’s degree in clinical education from QUB in 2019.
Qualifications
MB BCH BAO National University of Ireland Galway 2011
Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland 2014
MSc Clinical Ed Queens University Belfast November 2019
Memberships
Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
British Association of Dermatologists
British Society of Paediatric Dermatologists
Irish Association of Dermatologists
Mr Stephen White
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Mr Stephen White
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Mr White graduated with honours from Liverpool Medical School and went on to do house jobs in the city. He worked in general medicine and Orthopaedics before settling on a career in Ophthalmology with an SHO post in Salisbury. He did further training in Plymouth and Bristol before settling in Northern Ireland in 1991. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 1994 and subsequently developed a sub-specialty interest in Oculoplastics whilst working for Mr Geoffrey Rose, Moorfields Eye Hospital, on his visits to NI. Mr White was appointed a Consultant in 1998 and remains in full-time NHS practice in the Royal Victoria Hospital and Ulster Hospital Dundonald. He consults privately at the Ulster Independent Clinic and also operates at the Belfast Skin Clinic. As well as general ophthalmology, Mr White is an oculoplastic surgeon specialising in disorders of the eyelids, tear apparatus and the eye socket.
Ms Gemma McKevitt
Vascular and Endovascular consultant
Ms Gemma McKevitt
Vascular and Endovascular consultant
She graduated in 2006 from Queens University Belfast before gaining the first stand alone Vascular training number in Northern Ireland and FRCSVASC from the Royal college of Surgeons of Edinburgh. She is the first trainee in Northern Ireland to complete training solely in Vascular surgery.
She has completed a fellowship in the prestigious Royal Adelaide Hospital gaining experience in open and endo vascular work alongside venous intervention treatment before returning to take up a substantive consultant post in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
She offers treatments for all venous conditions and will tailor treatment based on patients’ needs from minimally invasive microsclerotherapy to radio-frequency ablation treatments.
Dr Arif Aslam
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Arif Aslam
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Arif Aslam is an experienced Consultant Dermatologist and double fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon.
He graduated from the University of Dundee School of Medicine in 2004 and completed postgraduate training in both general medicine (MRCP) and general practice (MRCGP) in the north-west. He specialised in dermatology at the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust where he developed his interest in skin cancer and Mohs micrographic surgery.
He then went on to a complete a 12-month fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and laser dermatology at the Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre where he personally performed over 1000 surgical procedures.
After working in the NHS for two years as a substantive Consultant Dermatologist and Mohs surgeon he spent two years overseas – in New Zealand and Australia where he completed a second fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and cutaneous oncology under the tutelage of the world renowned Clin Assoc Prof Carl Vinciullo, gaining membership of both the Australasian College of Dermatologists and the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) – the world leading membership organisation of more than 1500 fellowship-trained skin cancer and reconstructive surgeons specalising in the Mohs micrographic surgical technique pioneered by Dr Frederic E Mohs. He is one of only a few dermatologists in the UK and Europe with this accreditation and the only UK dermatologist with membership of both the Australasian College of Dermatologists and American College of Mohs Surgery.
Mohs micrographic surgery is a dermatologist provided scar-minimising surgical technique for skin cancer which has the highest cure rate of any treatment. Mohs surgery is a highly specialised and precise treatment for skin cancer using a microscope at the time of surgery to ensure all the roots of a skin cancer are entirely removed.
Publications
Dr Aslam has published scientific articles in the British Medical Journal, British Journal of Dermatology, Clinical Medicine, Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, Canadian Medical Association Journal and International Journal of Dermatology.
Why choose a fellowship-trained ACMS member surgeon?
You want your skin cancer treatment to be performed with the highest standards of quality and competency. Dr Arif Aslam is an experience Mohs micrographic surgeon having completed several thousand cases.
A strong believer in evidence-based medicine he regularly attends top research meetings in surgical and laser dermatology and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, textbook chapters and has given presentations at national and international scientific meetings.