All the doctors are specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists and have subspecialist qualifications in ultrasound, fetal medicine or infertility.
John Anderson John Anderson MB BS FRANZCOG FRCOG DDU COGU
Jock Anderson is the founder of Sydney Ultrasound For Women (SUFW). He was also the Director of the Fetal Medicine Unit at King George V Hospital for almost 10 years and was the Chairman of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Subspecialty Committee for Ultrasound for 4 years.
For 22 years Jock Anderson has been building the reputation of SUFW, previously known as Sydney Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound (SOGUS). As founder of the first Sydney practice in the group, Dr Anderson has brought together the best practitioners available in their relevant fields.
All are specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists, each having further specialized in diagnostic ultrasound. Because they are obstetricians and gynaecologists they hope to provide more direct solutions to women's health problems.
Investment in the best technology allows SUFW access to the clearest images available. This, allied to an effective combination of sonographers and ultrasound specialists, means SUFW aims to offer a level of service that is amongst the best in the world.
"I would like to think we enjoy the respect of our peers in the medical profession," says Dr Anderson. "We are often used as a reference by other doctors, and see it as one of our roles to educate the wider medical community about obstetric and gynaecologic ultrasound matters."
Tom Boogert Tom Boogert MB BS (Syd) FRANZCOG DDU COGU
Tom has been with Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW) since its inception. He joined the practice operated by Jock Anderson in 1986 and became a partner in 1987. Tom has been an integral part in the development of SUFW, which now has seven practices throughout the metropolitan region.
Graduating from the University of Sydney, his subspecialty training was at King George V Hospital, Sydney, as well as the Academic Hospital in Groningen, Holland. He has been a consultant at King George V Hospital for more than 15 years and is currently a visiting medical officer to the Department of Fetal Medicine and Diagnostic Ultrasound and the Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He has also been a member of the NSW Department of Health's Genetics Services Advisory Committee and was the immediate past Chairman of their Prenatal Diagnosis Working Party and the Australasian Association of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasonologists.
His medical career began with an interest in biology and dealing with people, but ultimately, Tom chose women's health because of its association with reproduction. His main sub-interests are in the areas of Prenatal Diagnosis and IVF.
"We try to take a comprehensive approach to all modalities of obstetric and gynaecologic ultrasound," he said. With the new equipment SUFW has acquired, Tom says the practice is able to provide a unique diagnostic service in women's health.
"Basically we are able to combine the expertise in interpreting scans with the latest technology in obtaining images," he said. "The increase in resolution of the new equipment will lead to an increase in the rate of detection of abnormalities even in the first trimester of the pregnancy as well as improved diagnosis of gynaecological disorders."
"In the future I hope we will be able to offer our high standard of service to a larger population of women, not only those living in the Sydney Metropolitan area," said Tom. "Being able to help patients with difficult issues of fetal abnormality and gynaecological disease in a competent, caring way is absolutely the most rewarding aspect of my profession."
Greg Kesby Greg Kesby BSc (Hons) MBBS (Hons) UNSW PhD Camb. DDU MHKCOG FRANZCOG CMFM
Fascinated by biology in school, Greg Kesby went on to become a graduate of both the University of New South Wales and the University of Cambridge. His early obstetric experience was gained in Cambridge, England and he has since completed subspecialty training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He has been with SUFW since the beginning of 1999.
Greg held appointments in the Department of Fetal Medicine at King George V Hospital, Sydney and has been a clinical lecturer in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at The University of Sydney. He was also Associate Professor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Dr Kesby has published papers in the medical press on both Obstetrics and Gynaecology, but his primary interest is in high-risk obstetrics.
"I chose to do obstetrics as I had always been interested in reproduction and human development. The detection and treatment of fetal disorders is my main interest," said Dr Kesby. "I am the only certified subspecialist in Maternal-Fetal medicine at SUFW, meaning I have interests spanning fetal medicine, maternal medicine, genetics, ultrasound diagnosis and obstetric diagnostic procedures."
"We are very close knit at SUFW and I think that carries through to patient care. Expertise of the highest calibre is fundamental to our service. We work hard to ensure cohesive and interdependent co-operation of doctors, sonographers, counsellors and secretarial staff."
"In addition to any ultrasound diagnosis, SUFW also offers a total patient package that includes genetic counselling, fetal medicine and early pregnancy analysis," Greg continued. "While we deal with the top-end of obstetrics and gynaecologic analysis, SUFW also consults on a range of related issues, including chromosomal abnormalities and nuchal translucency."
"Much of my role is in the detection and management of fetal abnormality, I see my responsibility as one of providing expert opinion, with clarity, care and compassion, to women and their partners at times of great emotional distress and vulnerability."
When asked about his career highlight Greg commented, "Every week there is a highlight, specifics would be boring. The most rewarding aspect of my chosen profession is the ability to be involved and make a positive difference in the lives of so many couples in their attempts at having a family."
Andrew McLennan Andrew McLennan BSc MB BS (Hons) FRANZCOG MRCOG COGU
Andrew is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist whose particular interest is in prenatal diagnosis and ultrasound. He is a consultant to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital and a Partner at Sydney Ultrasound for Women.
He introduced Nuchal Translucency (NT) screening for Down syndrome to Australia, helping to revolutionise the way prenatal screening for chromosome abnormality is conducted. He is the current Chairman of the National Early Pregnancy Assessment Program. Andrew has been involved in educating doctors and sonographers across the country in the use of NT screening, and is also actively involved in research into early diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. He is also the current President of the Australian Association of O&G Ultrasonologists.
He has a long history in the health field working initially in the area of intellectual handicap before moving into nursing and then on to medicine. Early obstetric and gynaecological training was in Sydney and Salisbury, England with advanced training in Fetal Medicine at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London.
Andrew has experience in all aspects of obstetrics and gynaecology and has written on the subject in both the scientific and mainstream press.
Robert D Robertson Robert D Robertson MB BS (Syd) FRCOG FRANZCOG DDU COGU
CLINICAL GENETICIST (HGSA)
Robert Robertson is a subspecialist in obstetric and gynaecologic ultrasound, as well as being a qualified Clinical Geneticist. He has been in private practice and a Visiting Medical Officer at Royal North Shore since 1981. Rob completed extensive training in Australia, the UK and the US.
He is a past president of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and an Examiner for the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). He is a past NSW Councillor of RANZCOG.
Rob's North Shore practice became part of Sydney Ultrasound For Women when it merged with the group in 1996. Up until then Rob had been in private practice, specifically dealing in reproductive genetics. He also held an appointment at Royal North Shore Hospital, which he still attends today.
With his knowledge in genetics, Rob brings to Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW) a high level of expertise and training. Today that knowledge is now shared.
"It is a lot easier if there is someone within one's practice with whom you can readily consult," says Rob. Interests and specialties within SUFW include genetic counselling, expert ultrasound and prenatal procedures service, high-risk obstetrics expertise and gynecologic procedures to assess the endometrium and tubal patency.
"People who otherwise might have been in teaching hospitals on a full time basis have found themselves here," Rob continues. "The relationship that Tom Boogert and Jock Anderson have also built up between Sydney IVF and Sydney Ultrasound for Women is also a strong one.
"From a technical point of view we have state-of-the-art equipment and an integrated communications network which can link data and imaging available to any of our specialists," he says. "We have the capacity to store and retrieve information for review and the ability to email reports and images at any time.
"While this is of great benefit, our approach is always one of putting the client first. Information and expert opinion is what they are looking for and clear, easily understood information provided prior to an ultrasound or a procedure as well as follow-up advice is what we offer. Ensuring each and every client clearly understands what is going on is extremely important to me.
Fergus Scott Fergus Scott MB BS FRANZCOG DDU CMFM COGU
Fergus Scott graduated from Monash University in Melbourne. He undertook subspecialty training in the Fetal Medicine Unit at King George V Hospital and in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane. On completion of his subspecialty training he was the only Australian obstetrician with two subspecialties in both Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetric and Gynaecological ultrasound. Fergus has served on the Medical Council of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine.
Fergus first started working with Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW) six years ago and became a partner six months later. "Dealing with healthy people having a child is one of the few happy events in medicine," commented Fergus. "One area of this that makes a real difference is ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis."
Although dealing with what is perceived as women's health, Fergus tends to think of it as the reproductive health of the couple. "Although much of it affects the female physically, it is usually a couple that enjoys the good news or copes with the bad news," said Fergus.
His main interest had been in prenatal diagnosis and prenatal screening. It is an area he believes makes the most difference. The affect of abnormality on a child involves the whole of its life and the affect on the family is enormous.
Fergus said Sydney Ultrasound for Women is often used for second opinions by other practices. Having respect from his medical peers is absolutely imperative. "The majority of our patients are referred to us by obstetricians and GPs and their trust in our ability has been instrumental in the growth of Sydney Ultrasound for Women".
"We try to provide an all-encompassing care package from an obstetric and gynaecologic point of view," he said. "We aim to operate at the leading edge of our field. When developments emerge regarding prenatal diagnosis, we try to adopt them as soon as possible.
"Having introduced NT screening into Australia, we feel that we are producing the best results the test is capable of achieving and try to improve with each new development."
"Our object is to provide the safest option for women. We like to go that little bit further towards alleviating any fears our patients might have. "
Robert Woolcott Robert Woolcott MB BS (Hons), FRANZCOG, CREI
Robert graduated from the University of New South Wales with honours in 1981. He is a certified sub-specialist in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Robert is the foundation specialist of Newcastle Ultrasound for Women.
He has previously been awarded both the Chris Hudson Fellowship and Brown-Craig Travelling Fellowship. He is a clinical lecturer in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Newcastle. Robert is Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sydney IVF Newcastle. He is a member of the Board of the Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute.His clinical practice is in the fields of infertility, reproductive microsurgery and IVF. He has sub-specialist expertise in all forms of ultrasound investigation of infertility and miscarriage management.
He is the principal author of 13 peer-reviewed international medical journal publications, including the worlds largest published series of the specialized in fallopian tube investigation of selective salpingography. He and is a referee for the leading international journals in the area of fertility and human reproduction. His research interests include fallopian tube dysfunction and the mechanisms by which endometriosis causes infertility.
