Diagnostics
Meet The Portfolio Members
Lizzie Bean
Chair of Diagnostics portfolio
To date, the BSGE has provided me with an amazing network of friends, colleagues and mentors. Throughout my training, it has provided the resources and collaborations to achieve sought goals. As a newly elected council member, I am excited about the opportunities to work within the committee and amongst the membership to develop training platforms and resources for pre-operative imaging in minimally invasive gynaecology.
I trained in advanced gynaecological ultrasound and minimal access surgery at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where I completed a three-year OOP research fellowship and then the advanced laparoscopy ATSM. I now work as a consultant at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which is an accredited BSGE Endometriosis Centre with an innovative robotic service.
I have trained in ultrasound diagnosis and mapping of endometriosis and am passionate about addressing the delay in diagnosis nationally, improving diagnostics and developing one-stop clinics for women, building the bridge between community and tertiary level care. I’m committed to improving training in gynaecological imaging, which is hugely beneficial for counselling of patients, providing a timely diagnosis and treatment planning. My research areas include ultrasound assessment of endometriosis, the natural history of endometriosis and the relationship between endometriosis and pregnancy.
Zahra Azeem
Senior Trainee Representative
Zahra Azeem is an ST7 trainee in West Midlands undertaking Advanced Laparoscopic Excision of Benign Disease (ALAP) ATSM. She has a strong track record in laparoscopic surgery, gynaecological ultrasound, and multidisciplinary care for patients with chronic pelvic pain.
Zahra has been actively involved in national and regional teaching, serving as faculty on several BSGE-endorsed training courses including the Pre-ASM Advanced Ultrasound Course and BSGE RIGS Course. She is passionate about surgical education and is currently developing a National Gynaecological Ultrasound Training Programme for trainees.
In parallel with her clinical work, Zahra leads and collaborates on a range of research projects focusing on diagnostic pathways in endometriosis, intraoperative imaging innovations and the use of Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) in laparoscopy. She has authored many peer reviewed publications and won awards for her projects.
As Senior Trainee Representative on the BSGE Council, Zahra is committed to representing the voice of trainees, supporting equitable access to high-quality training opportunities, and shaping the future of minimally invasive gynaecological surgery through innovation, inclusion, and excellence.
Tom Holland
Diagnostics Subcommittee Member
Consultant Gynaecologist
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital London
Susanne Johnson
Diagnostics Subcommittee Member
Associate Specialist in Gynaecology
Gynaechoice, Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital
Sian Mitchell
Diagnostics Subcommittee Member
ST4, Senior Gynaecological research fellow
Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital
Joel Naftalin
Diagnostics Subcommittee Member
Consultant Gynaecologist
University College London Hospitals
Oliver O’Donovan
Diagnostics and Endometriosis Centres Subcommittee member
Consultant Gynaecologist and Endometriosis Lead
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston