5 January 2025

Another landmark for ESCP - we now have a full in-house secretariat! Read our announcement here > Our dynamic secretariat team work remotely providing day-to-day support to its members and committees. You can contact the team by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone +44 07349 724 383. Opening hours are: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:30 GMT. Vanessa McCourt, Executive Director Vanessa McCourt Current position Executive Director Professional background I joined Integrity Events in 2016 as ESCP Secretariat Coordinator and never looked back! Fun personal fact I qualified as a PADI Divemaster and Nitrox Diver whilst living in Sharm El Sheikh for a year. While there I also got the opportunity to travel the Western Desert of Egypt from Siwa into Libya and Sudan and back up to Cairo! Carla Fitzpatrick, Sponsorship and Conference Manager Carla Fitzpatrick Current position Sponsorship and Conference Manager Professional background An event manager for 30 years, I began working with blue chip pharmaceutical companies in a medical communications agency. I was introduced to association work by Integrity Events in 2010, working with ESCP and ACPGBI. Fun personal fact True to my Italian-Irish heritage, I have a passion for hosting. From Christmas lunches (22 guests being my record!) to summer BBQs. I love creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for friends and family. In my spare time, I am training my working cocker spaniel, Paddy, to work in the field. It's a rewarding experience that combines my love for dogs and the great outdoors  

5 September 2024

Christina Fleming Tina van Loon Franco Marinello Gabrielle van Ramshorst Christina Fleming Christina Fleming Current position Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. Appointed 2022. Medical school University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (2011) General surgical and colorectal training Basic and Higher Surgical Training Programmes RCSI (2012-2021) Robotic Colorectal Surgery Fellowship, CHU Bordeaux, France (2021-2022) Main clinical and research interests Colorectal cancer Pelvic floor disorders Robotic surgery Member of the DEI Working Group since 2022 Additional information PhD, Inflammation and Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer, University College Cork, Ireland PROGRESS Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) (2022) ESCP Robotic Surgery Fellow, CHU Bordeaux (2021-2022) ESCP Programme Committee Member (2021-2024) Specialty Lead, RCSI Robotic Surgery National Advisory Committee Scientific Advisory Committee, National Surgical Research Support Centre, RCSI Surgical Oncology Lead, Limerick Cancer Trials Unit, Limerick Ireland Tina van Loon Tina van Loon Current position Fellow of Gastrointestinal, Colorectal and Robotic Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands, since June 2022 Medical school University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands, graduated in 2013 General surgical and colorectal training General surgical training: Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands (Jan 2014 to June 2018) Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands (July 2018 to Sept 2019) Colorectal/GI training: Pantein Hospital, Boxmeer, The Netherlands (Oct 2019 to Dec 2019) Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands (Jan 2020 to June 2021) Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands - robotic colorectal training (July 2021 to Dec 2021) Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands (Jan 2022 to March 2022) Fellowship colorectal and robotic surgery (since June 2022) - current position see above FEBS Coloproctology (Sept 2023) Main clinical and research interests Clinical interests: Benign (especially IBD and endometriosis) and malignant colorectal cancer surgery, Robotic colorectal and abdominal wall surgery Research interests: Use of stomas in colorectal surgery Improvement using pathways in colorectal surgery Perianal fistula treatment Member of the DEI Working Group since 2022 Additional information ESCP Education committee member 2017-2023 Dutch Society of ColoRectal Surgery board member 2017-2022 EBSQ Colorectal Surgery organising committee since 2016 Linkedin: ytvanloon PhD-thesis: STOMA - Challenges in stoma surgery and patient management (2022, University of Maastricht, co-promotor Dr. D.D.E. Zimmerman, promotor prof. dr. L.P.S. Stassen) Franco Marinello Franco Marinello Current position Colorectal Surgeon, Vall d’Hebrón University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain Medical school Cordoba National University, Argentina. Graduated in 2005. General surgical and colorectal training Resident in General Surgery at Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain Fellow of Colorectal Surgery at Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain Main clinical and research interests Pelvic floor disorders Neuromodulation Low anterior resection syndrome Member of the DEI Working Group since 2022 Gabrielle van Ramshorst Gabrielle van Ramshorst Current position Consultant surgical oncology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Since October 2019. Medical school Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. Graduated in 2004. General surgical and colorectal training General training at Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2009-2016) Dutch Cancer Society sponsored clinical fellowship at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia; Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2016-2018). Previous position: locum consultant surgical oncology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom (2019) Main clinical and research interests Locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer Gynaecological oncology Pelvic reconstruction and sexual function Peritoneal carcinomatosis Retroperitoneal sarcomas Abdominal wall hernia Member of the DEI Working Group 2022 Additional information PhD Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Wound failure in laparotomy (January 2014) FEBS (Coloproctology) 2018 FECSM 2018 FESGO 2019 Member International Committee, Surgical Society for Oncology (SSO) Member Mesh in Pelvis guidelines, European Society for Coloproctology Associate editor, Colorectal Disease Editorial fellow, International Journal of Gynaecological Cancer

5 September 2024

The European Society for Coloproctology (ESCP) is a vibrant society with a growing membership of over 2000 members. Primarily, the ESCP is a scientific society with the aim of promoting a culture of research, training and education, in an effort to improve the outcomes of our patients and to optimise clinical practice. In the setting of global cultural changes our society is changing too... Surgery has been a homogeneous specialty for a long time, with its professionals originating predominately from white, higher socio-economic groups, with one or more parents with a university background, heterosexual - and mostly male. This has resulted in a certain culture which appreciated specific leadership styles and personal qualities. Unfortunately many surgeons who do not fit this specific profile face barriers in becoming - and staying - surgeons and in advancing their professional careers and obtaining equal opportunities. Female surgeons may face specific challenges such as discrimination and strain from pregnancy and childcare, the penalty for motherhood and lack of available mentorship and promotorship. Whereas gender parity is important, it is not just women who form a minority group within the ESCP. For instance, colleagues with a non-cis sexual orientation may not always feel free to be 'out' within our society. Trainees who come from a low socio-economic background may also struggle to become members and to play an active role in the society. With racial and religious disparities persistently prevalent within health care worldwide, improved representation of minority groups in all layers of leadership is important for advocating for the wellbeing and safety of our patients. DEI Working Group The DEI Working Group is committed to making sure that ESCP members experience the society as a safe and inclusive group of people where everyone feels welcome, and to provide our talented and passionate members with the opportunities to thrive, irrespective of their backgrounds. Understanding the value of diversity of our members, and appreciating the input from all geographical areas is vital: diversity, equity and inclusion look different in every culture. View members of the working group here > We are happy to hear your thoughts and input, let us know how we as a society and working group can support you! Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. DEI Sessions at ESCP Conferences Thessaloniki 2024 Women’s Networking Breakfast Session Vilnius 2023 Barriers to surgical education for LIC trainees - can we do better? Promoting equal access to learning opportunities at a hospital level Promoting diversity - the scientific society role Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity working group Dublin 2022 Diversity and Fairness in 2022 Vienna 2019 Women in colorectal surgery

10 December 2020

Beatriz Martin Perez Gianluca Pellino Niki Christou

4 November 2020

‘A History of the European Society of Coloproctology’ was originally conceived by Andrew Shorthouse who invited John Nicholls to join him in the venture. Both of us had been involved in the early years when the ECCP was the only European organisation in the specialty. We witnessed the formation of the EACP and the process which led to the unification of both to create the European Society of Coloproctology in 2006. Our motivation was to preserve for posterity the events leading up to the creation of the Society and to record its subsequent trajectory which proved to be highly successful. We hoped that this would not only be a useful historical record but also a source of information and even inspiration for subsequent generations. In writing the ‘History’ we have greatly enjoyed identifying those who contributed to the evolution of the coloproctological organisations in Europe. This has brought back many happy memories of friendship and collaboration. We are also full of admiration for the extraordinary breadth and extent of expansion of the Society in the fields of clinical activity, research, education, accreditation and certification and the ever increasing quality of the annual meetings. We are most grateful to Neil Smart, Editor-in-Chief of Colorectal Disease, John Wiley the publisher and Lindsey Whitehouse and Vanessa McCourt of Integrity International Events, whose accurate records of annual meeting programmes and committee meetings of the Society made our task possible. View 'A History of the European Society of Coloproctology' here Andrew J Shorthouse BSc, MS, FRCSR John Nicholls MA, FRCS, hon FACS, hon ESCP