Meet the Team - Sydney Colorectal Clinic

The Sydney Colorectal Clinic is a specialist colorectal centre dedicated to the management of Colorectal Conditions. We provide a wholistic multidisciplinary approach to colorectal surgery

Paddington Consultation Rooms

Dr Urquhart’s consultation rooms are in the heart of Paddington in Sydney. Our staff are friendly, compassionate, and understanding, with dedicated training and education in colorectal conditions, ensuring they are available to answer your calls and help you navigate through the stages of your treatment.

Dr Urquhart is available for your care if an urgent appointment is required.

Kiarni Olsen

BA (Hons) Anthropology & English
Practice Manager

Kiarni is the practice manager of Dr Urquhart’s consultation rooms in Paddington. She grew up in Grafton, a small town in the Northern Rivers region and moved to Sydney in 2018 to pursue a degree in English and anthropology at the University of Sydney. She is fascinated by the human experience and loves to learn about different cultures and understandings of the world. In her free time you’ll find her at the beach, going to the theatre, trying her hand at sewing or with her nose in a good book.

After graduating, she began working with Dr Urquhart in 2022, and she quickly found a new passion for helping patients navigate the medical world, hoping to make the process as smooth as possible for those going through a difficult time. Kiarni loves to chat with patients and learn new things about the world from their unique perspectives and she hopes to help destigmatise colorectal conditions by providing a friendly, compassionate and positive experience for our patients.

Anaesthetic Team

Hamish works with an excellent group of anaesthetists at St Vincent’s Hospital. There is a large group of subspeciality anaesthetists who will be involved in optimising your surgical care. Dr Gila Lepar, Dr Sam Boyers and Dr Johanna Barrett are part of the anaesthetic specialist team and will be closely involved in your treatment.

Dr Gila Lepar

FANZCA MBBS(hons), BSc(hons), MSc(research), Adv PTEx

Gila moved to Australia shortly after graduating from Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London with an undergraduate honours degree in Neuroscience and Molecular Pharmacology. She then completed a postgraduate degree in Molecular Genetics at the Garvan Institute in Sydney before commencing her medical degree. Gila graduated from the University of Sydney Medical School in 2009 and completed her specialist Anaesthetic training and cardiothoracic and transplant fellowship at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. Her special interests are cardiothoracic and transplant anaesthesia, perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography as well as major colorectal surgery. She holds appointments at Vincent’s public and private hospitals, St George public and private hospitals and St Luke’s Private Hospital.

Dr Samuel Boyers

FANZCA MBBS (Hons) BSc

After graduating from the University of Sydney Graduate Medical Program in 2009, Sam completed his specialist anaesthetics training at St Vincent’s in Sydney prior to fellowship at Westmead Hospital. He now enjoys a diverse practice across the St Vincent’s Sydney Hospital campus, Westmead Private and Westmead Public Hospitals. Sam strives for excellence and compassion in anaesthesia care and is an expert in post-operative pain relief and perioperative medicine.

Dr Alex Vukomanovic

FANZCA, MBBS (Hons), Masters of Medicine (Clin.Epi.), BSc(Avd).

Alex graduated from the University of Sydney Medical Program in 2011. While undertaking anaesthetic training at St Vincent’s Hospital he also attained a post-graduate Masters of Medicine. Alex undertook two anaesthetic fellowships in both general and cardiothoracic anaesthesia with focus on gastrointestinal, ear nose and throat and cardiothoracic surgery. He now practices as a specialist anaesthetist across Sydney where he applies his expertise in a patient centred approach. His clinical interests are peri-operative echocardiography, regional anaesthesia and post operative pain management.

Dr Tiffany Fulde

MBBS (Hons) FANZCA

Tiffany graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) medical school before completing anaesthetic training at St Vincent’s Hospital. She has also worked in aeromedical retrieval across the remote communities in the top end of the Northern Territory, and completed her anaesthetic fellowship at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA). Tiffany has expertise in advanced colorectal surgery and peritonectomy, upper GI surgery, gynaecological surgery and neuroanaesthesia. She currently holds appointments at St Vincent’s public and private hospitals, RPA and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.

Tiffany provides her patients with the highest standard of healthcare, incorporating up-to-date advances in anaesthetic techniques with a caring, holistic approach.

Dr Johanna Barrett

BMedSc MBBS(Hons) FANZCA GDHR

Johanna Barrett is an anaesthetist with experience in complex colorectal and gynaecologic surgery. After attaining a postgraduate medical degree at the University of Sydney, she undertook anaesthetic training at St Vincent’s Hospital and completed provisional fellowship at St George Hospital, Kogarah. She now holds consultant appointments at both sites. Johanna combines the principles of patient-centred care with rigorous application of evidence-based anaesthesia to keep you safe and comfortable in your perioperative journey.

Stoma/Wound Care

Louise Gallagher

BNurse (Hons), GradCert (Acute Care), GradCert (Stomal Therapy)

Louise (AKA Lou) is a Registered Nurse and one of the Stomal Therapist Nurses at St Vincents Private Hospital. Louise studied Nursing at Australian Catholic University North Sydney and did majority of her training at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Darlinghurst. She completed the new graduate program at SVPH, has been working on the colorectal ward since 2017 and since completed her Graduate Certificate in Stomal Therapy. Louise has a special interest in stomal therapy and is currently relieving the role for 12 months. Louise will see patients preoperatively to get to know them and their support networks (if they wish to join) and provide education on living with a stoma. She will see them regularly throughout their hospital stay to provide education, support and a friendly face. Louise will organise follow up appointments with patients 2-4 weeks after surgery to check in and see how they are managing and adjusting to life with a stoma.

Colorectal Cancer Multi Disciplinary Team

At the Sydney Colorectal Clinic, Dr Hamish Urquhart delivers a patient-centred, holistic, evidence-based approach utilising the most up-to-date and minimally invasive techniques. Dr Urquhart employs a multidisciplinary approach, coordinating your care with allied health professionals, physicians, radiologists, pathologists, and other specialist surgeons.

Dr Urquhart is a member of the St Vincent’s Hospital Colorectal Cancer Multi-Disciplinary Team. This team is based at St Vincent’s Hospital and is an avenue through which all colorectal cancer cases are discussed. If you are being treated for cancer, your specific case will be discussed with a team of experts at this meeting. These include specialists from medical oncology (chemotherapy), radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, and allied health professionals (including genetic counsellors). In this meeting, your treatment options will be optimised using the most up-to-date and evidence-based approaches, following best practice guidelines. This ensures you are receiving the best possible treatment, and it also provides an avenue for multiple specialists to provide input on your care.

Useful website: The Kinghorn Cancer Centre

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Multi Disciplinary Team

Dr Urquhart is also a member of the St Vincent’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Multi-Disciplinary Team. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Multi-Disciplinary Team is a world-renowned team treating many patients with complex inflammatory bowel disease. This team employs a collegial, evidence-based team approach to inflammatory bowel disease, targeting the nutritional aspects, medical optimisation and surgical management of the condition. This meeting includes physicians, gastroenterologists, surgeons, and allied health professionals. St Vincent’s Hospital is a centre of excellence for inflammatory bowel disease treatment and cancer.