Pelvic Floor Centre – Team
The multidisciplinary team in the Pelvic Floor Centre is highly qualified and focused on the assessment and management of pelvic floor dysfunction.
The team work collaboratively in St. Michael’s Hospital to ensure patients receive the best treatment and outcome for their pelvic floor issues.
Ms. Ann Hanly
BA, B.A.I., MB., B.Ch., B.A.O., L.R.C.P & S.I (NUI) (Hons) MD. FRCSI
Senior Lecturer Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon
Ms. Ann Hanly graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, in June 2000. She completed her basic and higher level surgical training in Ireland prior to undertaking fellowship training in Colorectal Surgery at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
She returned to Ireland to take up a consultant position in St. Vincent’s University Hospital in 2011 and was further appointed a senior lecturer in Surgery and Postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in 2014.
Ms. Hanly has won several scholarships and awards throughout her career and has a keen interest in research and technology. She Initiated and directed the establishment of the Pelvic Floor Centre in St. Michael’s Hospital and continues to ensure it complies with international best practice standards for excellence in the provision of pelvic floor health.
Dr. Gerry Agnew
MRCPI MRCOG
Consultant Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Urogynaecologist
Dr. Gerard J. Agnew studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, graduating in 2002. He undertook general training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Ireland, spending time at the Coombe Women and Infants’ University Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, The South Infirmary and Victoria University Hospital and Cork University Maternity Hospital.
While a registrar at the South Infirmary and Victoria University Hospital in 2008, Dr. Agnew was named as the hospitals’ “Doctor of the Year.”
In 2009, Dr. Agnew was awarded the prestigious Richard Steevens scholarship.
Dr. Agnew is qualified as an instructor in the Management of Obstetric Emergency and Trauma (MOET).
Dr. Agnew has won several awards for research presentations and is currently a reviewer for the International Urogynaecology Journal.
Dr. Myra Fitzpatrick
MB BCh BAO, MRCOG, MRCPI, MD
Associate Specialist Gynaecology
Dr. Fitzpatrick qualified from University College Dublin in 1992 with an honours degree in Medicine and following an internship in the Mater Hospital, Dublin, commenced her specialist training in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1993.
She obtained membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1996, followed by membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 1997 and was awarded an MD by University College Dublin for original research on the effects of childbirth on the pelvic floor in 2001.
She has worked in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for almost 20 years and in the National Maternity Hospital for the past 15 years.
In the last 5 years she has also worked in the Pelvic Floor Centre in St. Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire alongside Ms. Hanly and Dr. Agnew, where more complex cases are fully assessed in terms of prolapse, urinary and bowel function.
Lesley-Anne Ross
B.Sc (Physio), M.Sc (Physio). , Grad. Cert (Acupuncture)
Senior Physiotherapist
Lesley-Anne is a Chartered Physiotherapist who graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 1992 with B.Sc. (Physio) and in 1998 with M.Sc. (Physio). She has worked as a Senior Physiotherapist in the National Maternity Hospital since 2001 and is currently part of the multidisciplinary team at the Pelvic Floor Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire.
Lesley-Anne is specifically interested in the multifactorial nature to colorectal and urogynaecological health. She has a Grad. Cert in Health care (Acupuncture) from UCD 2009 and is a qualified Pilates teacher, with a particular emphasis on pelvic rehabilitation. She has also completed her 200 hours yoga teacher training. She is a member of the ‘Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health and Continence’ clinical interest group and of the Continence Foundation of Ireland.
Avril Leonard
RGN, BSc Nursing Management, PG Diploma in Infection Prevention and Control
Pelvic Floor Nurse Specialist
Avril Leonard qualified from St. Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin in 2002. After spending close to a year working on St. Raphael’s surgical ward, she then went on to travel and work in Sydney and Melbourne.
On return she took up a post in St. Michael’s Hospital 5 day elective surgical ward and from there spent a number of years as a clinical nurse specialist in Infection Prevention and Control.
She counsels patients on dietary and lifestyle modifications to improve their symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. She performs and aids in diagnostic tests for the pelvic floor patient, including anal manometry, urodynamic studies and endoanal ultrasound. She is currently undergoing training in PTNS (Percutaneous Tibial nerve stimulation).
Anne McDonald
Nursing Lead and Manager of the Outpatients Department, Clinical Nurse Manager Grade 2
Anne Mc Donald, clinical nurse manager in outpatients department qualified in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. She gained most of her experience working in Australia and London. Anne joined the Pelvic Floor Centre during its establishment in March 2013.
She is the senior clinical manager in the unit responsible for operational tasks, communication and staffing. She performs and aids in diagnostic tests for the pelvic floor patient, including anal manometry, urodynamic studies and endoanal ultrasound. From a therapeutic standpoint, Anne is also trained in PTNS (Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation) treatments and counsels patients on dietary and lifestyle modifications to improve their symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Leah Turnly
B.Sc. Nursing UCD
Clinical Staff Nurse
Leah is a staff nurse in the Pelvic Floor Centre. She graduated from UCD with a BSc in nursing in 2005 and has since spent 9 years working in various aspects of perioperative nursing care.
She has an interest in pelvic floor disorders and joined the pelvic floor team in St. Michael’s Hospital in 2015. Leah, under the guidance of the pelvic floor team is in the process of establishing a nurse led pessary clinic. She plays a key role in the quality of patient care in the clinic.