Our team includes four consultants with a special interest in hepatology and three liver nurse specialists who work together to care for patients with acute and chronic liver disease.
Consultant hepatologists
Dr Rebecca Dunn
Rebecca joined the liver service as a consultant gastroenterologist with a specialist interest in hepatology in 2021. She is particularly interested in alcohol related liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). She also has acute medicine and gastroenterology commitments.
She has clinics at both North Tees and Hartlepool hospitals and an endoscopy list at Hartlepool Hospital.
Secretary contact number: 01642 383271
Dr Stephen Mitchell
Stephen joined the liver service from a neighbouring trust in 2017. He qualified in Oxford in 1988 and trained in gastroenterology and hepatology in London. He returned to work in Oxford, where he performed research on the genetics, immunology and treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis. In 2002, he moved to a consultant post in the North East. His special interests include autoimmune liver disease and the management of the consequences of chronic liver disease.
He has clinics and an endoscopy list at the University Hospital of North Tees.
Secretary contact number: 01642 624571
Dr Danielle Rayner
Danielle qualified from Newcastle University in 2014. She undertook her gastroenterology specialist training in the Northern Deanery and completed the hepatology advanced training programme at the Freeman Hospital.
She completed a post graduate certificate in medical education during a post as a clinical simulation teaching fellow. Her interests include medical education and palliative care in advanced chronic liver disease.
Dr Richard Thomas
Richard has been a consultant gastroenterologist with interest in hepatology at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS foundation trust since 2007. He has an interest in alcohol related liver disease and decompensated cirrhosis. He has previously been the trust lead for alcohol, developing and supervising the alcohol specialist nurses within the trust. He is involved in the integrated care system for alcohol for the North East. He has recently taken on the role of service director for acute and emergency medicine.
He has liver clinics at both North Tees and Hartlepool hospitals.
Liver nurse specialists
Our liver nurse specialists review patients on the ward, hold nurse-led outpatient clinics, run the open access paracentesis service, perform fibroscan clinics, organise the hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance programme and liaise with community teams.
Our liver nurse specialists can be contacted on 01642 624715.
Donna Enisz (lead)
Donna qualified at Teesside University in 2003. Continuing her career within the gastroenterology department as ward sister and alcohol specialist nurse until she was appointed liver specialist nurse in 2017. She furthered her studies through the trust’s leadership and development programme, with the Institute of Leadership and Management and also holds a City and Guilds level 4 qualification in Advanced Care Management.
She is first contact for patient inquiries. As an independent non-medial prescriber with level 6 qualifications in clinical skills assessment and mentoring she can assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients using clinical skills and knowledge of disease processes.
She is an active member of the British Liver Nurses’ Association (BLNA) and British Association for the study of the Liver (BASL), attending meetings regularly to update her knowledge and skills.
She assists in screening and delivers brief interventions to patients who misuse alcohol, providing expert advice and guidance to clinical staff to prevent further complications from their condition. She also works closely with other members of the alcohol care team and substance use teams to share information and deliver appropriate care.
She manages a team of two other liver nurses. The team holds three weekly nurse-led outpatient clinics, reviewing most of the stable cirrhotic patients, ensuring their HCC surveillance is conducted in accordance with NICE guidelines. Additionally the nurses hold two fibroscan clinics weekly as well as monthly joint MASLD clinics with clinicians.
On a Tuesday and Friday she independently manages a nurse led paracentesis clinic which hosts three to four patients per clinic, this clinic accepts patients with abdominal ascites which requires draining without the need for a hospital admission.
In addition to providing responsive patient care she regularly trains clinical colleagues to perform paracentesis and when required provides inpatient paracentesis throughout the organisation.
Andrea Infante
Andrea “Andie” came to the University Hospital of North Tees with extensive international nursing experience. She completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing in the Philippines in 2010 and successfully passed the Philippine licensure exam for nurses the same year. She is also a registered nurse in the state of Illinois’, USA, and also passed the licensure examination of Dubai Health Authority in UAE – reflecting her commitment to professional development and global clinical standards.
In 2017, she relocated to the United Kingdom where she began working as gastroenterology nurse. In this role, she gained valuable experience in the assessment, management, and support of patients with complex gastroenterology conditions. This foundation enabled her to developed essential skills and knowledge, particularly in managing chronic and acute liver disease.
She holds a level 6 clinical skills assessment qualification that allows her to assess and formulate a plan of care, implement the plan and evaluate the care using the clinical skills and knowledge of the disease process.
In her current role as a liver specialist nurse, she provides expert care to patient with wide range of liver disease, including cirrhosis, hepatitis and MASLD. Her role involves patient assessment, education, coordination of care, and close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team to ensure highest treatment and support.
Andie is passionate about delivering compassionate, patient-centred care and empowering patients through education and support. She committed to ongoing professional development and staying up to date with evidence-based practice to enhance patient outcomes.
Jessica Pounder
Jessica qualified as a nurse in 2012 and began her career within the emergency assessment unit, where she spent a year gaining extensive experience in acute and general medicine. She then moved into gastroenterology, where she worked for nine years and developed comprehensive skills and knowledge across a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions, including liver disease.
Jessica later progressed into a specialist role within a newly established alcohol service, where she played a key role in setting up a detoxification service for patients with alcohol dependence. This role involved close collaboration with the liver service and further strengthened her expertise in managing complex liver-related conditions.
She holds a Level 6 Clinical Skills Assessment qualification, enabling her to independently assess and treat patients. Jessica plans to complete her non-medical prescribing course in 2026, which will further enhance her clinical practice and scope of care.
In 2023, Jessica joined the liver team as a liver specialist nurse. Her role spans both outpatient and inpatient settings, giving her the clinical insight to recognise unwell or deteriorating patients and respond appropriately.
Alongside her clinical role, Jessica takes an active part in training and educating hospital staff on liver disease, strengthening their knowledge and skills to ensure patients receive a consistent, informed, and direct approach to their care.
Jessica is particularly passionate about the management of liver disease and uses her strong background in healthy lifestyle advice to support patients in improving their health, stabilising disease progression, and maintaining long-term liver health.
Visiting hepatologist
For patients with advanced or end stage liver disease, or with complications from liver disease (recurrent ascites) we work closely with the liver unit at the Freeman Hospital Newcastle. This gives patients access to more specialist liver treatments such as transplantation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts.