Hannah Stephenson
Hannah is one of our Consultant Cardiologists and Director of HS Cardiology. She has been working in specialist cardiology practice for over 10 years and is an RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology.
Hannah qualified from the University of Glasgow in 2005. She spent a few years in general mixed practice, before starting on the route to specialisation. In order to achieve the status of European Specialist, Hannah underwent a three year residency training programme at the University of Liverpool, before staying on as a lecturer for a year. During her time at Liverpool she was involved in many research projects, developing a particular interest in dilated cardiomyopathy in Great Danes. Working in a multi-disciplinary hospital, she also underwent extensive training in internal medicine and gained the RCVS certificate in Small Animal Medicine, before passing the specialist Diploma examination to become a European Specialist in Cardiology. Hannah established HS Cardiology in 2014, and has been travelling the North West ever since!
Hannah is passionate about education, having previously been a university lecturer and regularly providing continuing professional development courses to members of the veterinary profession. She has previously been a committee member of the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society in the UK, and is currently the chair of the VCS Heart Testing Committee.
Outside of work, Hannah is kept busy by three young children, 3 cats, a dog and a large number of cows and sheep on the working farm she calls home. She loves food.
Charlie Aspinwall
Charlie is one of our Cardiology Clinicians and is an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Cardiology.
Charlie qualified in 2010 from the Royal Veterinary College in London, and also completed an intercalated degree at the University of Bristol in Animal Behaviour and Welfare. She has worked in General Practice in Lancashire ever since, completing a certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice focusing on Small Animal Medicine, in 2016. Throughout this time, she developed a keen interest in cardiology, and in 2020 joined HS Cardiology to train in this area. Despite now immersing herself in the world of hearts, her experience means she can also support you should a patient’s condition be cross-disciplinary.
Charlie has completed a second certAVP, this time in cardiology, and is now one of just a few vets registered as an Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Cardiology. She finds cardiology endlessly fascinating, and particular enjoys echocardiography. She also has wide interests beyond medicine, including how our specialism can improve the welfare of our pets.
She has a young son, a cat and hens, and in any spare time, enjoys travelling widely, photography, knitting, and working in her allotment. She’s most peaceful on a beach in the Hebrides, preferably with a decent whisky!
Simon Swift
Simon is one of our Consultant Cardiologists who has been working in specialist cardiology practice for over 20 years and is an RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology.
He graduated from Cambridge in 1986 and rapidly developed an interest in cardiology, passing the certificate in 1990. He joined Woodcroft Veterinary Group in 1990 becoming a partner in 1993. However the drive to improve his cardiology knowledge led him to move to Liverpool in 2005 where he passed the Diploma in 2009. After working in private referral practice in the Northwest, he moved to the University of Florida in 2014 helping to establish their open heart surgery program for mitral valve repair. He was able to indulge his passions of helping pets and teaching students. He returned to the UK in 2021 and is delighted to be back in the Northwest.
Simon was the cardiology adviser to the Cavalier King Charles Club for over 20 years, helping them improve the heart status of the breed. He regularly lectures nationally and internationally and is currently president of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology.
When not in work, Simon enjoys time with his wife, obsessive border collie, idle cat and new granddaughter. To relax, he builds science fiction models and drinks far too much red wine.
Emma Cottrell
Emma is Head of Cardiology Nursing. As well as travelling with and assisting the cardiologists she will take in-person and telephone consults with clients as well as carrying out some procedures such as blood pressure measurement and ECGs.
Emma qualified from Hartpury College (UWE Bristol) with a degree in Veterinary Nursing Science in 2015. She spent her placement year during her degree at a busy First Opinion hospital in Warwickshire where she returned after graduating. After spending about 18 months there, she moved to Sydney, Australia, locuming in several first opinion and charity hospitals before joining the Internal Medicine team at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney. This is where her love of all things Internal Medicine related began! On returning to the UK she worked at a very busy referral centre in the Midlands before making the move up North. She worked as an Internal Medicine Nurse at another busy referral centre for 3 years before joining the HS Cardiology team.
She has always been very interested in cardiology and loves the crossover between cardiology, complex medicine cases and anaesthesia. She particularly love ECGs and is excited to continue to learn about all things heart related! She is passionate about the welfare of our patients and the education of owners, and enjoys communicating with owners and referring vets about achieving the best level of care for our animals. She also loves training, and enjoys both the theoretical and practical aspects; she hope to achieve her teaching qualifications in the future to enable her to lecture alongside my clinical role.
Outside of work she has a Black Labrador who she loves to take on adventures. She’s travelled to many amazing countries with her partner and loves exploring new places. She also loves baking, especially after a difficult day as it instantly relaxes her!
Michelle Weaver
Michelle is one of our Cardiology Nurses.
Our cardiology nurses travel with and assist the cardiologists. They take in-person and telephone consultations with clients as well as carrying out some procedures such as blood pressure measurement and ECGs.
After studying Animal Care at Huddersfield College, Michelle started to gravitate towards wanting a career in Veterinary Nursing. She gained her nursing qualification in 2004 and, since then, has been working in well respected, local small animal practices. She loves working with animals and really enjoys nursing. Making sure animals have the most positive experience in an unfamiliar environment is her passion. During Michelle's nursing career, specialising in a particular field was always in her heart. She is really excited to have made this step in to specialist nursing.
Out of work, Michelle’s two children keep her and her husband busy. Family time is important to her. She loves exploring new places, walking around anywhere with scenic views, watching basketball, and baking as a family. In her spare time, she enjoys helping out with an amazing charity – Pet Blood Bank UK.
Jodi Burgess
Jodi is our Referral Services Coordinator. She’s there every morning answering your phone calls and queries and has the unenviable task of coordinating our diary! We are so lucky to have Jodi in this role, as she is also a qualified RVN and has loads of experience of cardiology nursing from her previous roles.
Jodi qualified from Warwickshire College in 2006 after doing a Foundation degree in Veterinary nursing and practice management. Jodi worked in two busy first opinion vets in Warwickshire, where her first nursing caesarean was on a capuchin monkey for Twycross zoo. Jodi then moved to Birmingham and worked at a busy referral centre for 12 years. This is where she found a love for cardiology as they then expanded and specialised in Cardiology. She worked in a small team who specialised in cardiology interventions and Jodi loved the pacemakers and running their pacemaker clinics.
When Jodi is not at work, she is kept busy with three small children. Jodi loves the seaside and outdoors, and recently moved back to the countryside with her family. If Jodi has any spare time, she loves to go to the cinema, shopping and meeting up with friends for good food!