Dr Mark Sopher BSc, MBBS, MD, FRCP

Consultant Cardiologist, Clinical Director

Specialties

Cardiology

Specialist in Cardiac Rhythm Management

I was trained as an undergraduate at Guy's Hospital in London graduating with a first class BSc and top of my year in the clinical school with Distinctions in my final MBBS exams. I worked in London in Medical specialties at the Hammersmith Hospital, the National Hospital for Neurology and St Thomas' Hospitals prior to undertaking specialist research and clinical training in Cardiac Arrhythmias at St George's Hospital funded by British Heart Foundation research grants. This led to the award of an MD degree from the University of London for my thesis on new treatments for Atrial Fibrillation. I completed my specialist training in Cardiology and Cardiac Rhythm Management in London mainly between St George's and the Royal Brompton Hospitals.

I was appointed in 2005 as Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital to set up the new regional service for catheter ablation procedures and for complex devices (Cardiac Re-synchronisation 'CRT' and Implantable Defibrillators 'ICD'). This was the first such comprehensive service in the UK to exist outside of a cardio-thoracic surgical centre. The service has flourished now having 3 full time consultants, and several other consultants in the region who have been trained with us and now visit to perform procedures. I am have been Clinical Director for Cardiology, Clinical Director of the Dorset Heart Clinic, and Medical Care Group lead. I am currently the Clinical lead for Productivity  and Efficiency  across University Hospitals Dorset.

What people can be referred for

Heart Rhythm Disorders

Patients with pacemakers or defibrillators

Why I chose my specialties

Interventional Electrophysiology was a new and rapidly expanding area of cardiology when I qualified and my mentors were world leaders in this field and very inspiring.

Primary contact

Secretary: Mary McKenzie

0300 019 6140

Membership of professional bodies

British Cardiovascular Society

Ex-Member of Council, British Heart Rhythm Society

Year of registration

1991

Special clinical interests

Cardiac arrhythmia investigation and management, Cardiac electrophysiology and ablation, Implantation of pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular pacing systems.

Research

I was the clinical lead for the Dorset-wide improvement programme for Cardiology services ('Vanguard'). I hold Clinical Excellence awards – currently level 7. I continue to lead research and teach in the area of Cardiac Rhythm Management and have been an author of many original articles, reviews and book chapters in this field. I have represented Wessex on the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Complex invasive Cardiology, sat on the council of the British Heart Rhythm Society  and helped develop the current national guidance for ablation and complex device services.

 I am very interested in the wider issues of the effective and efficient delivery of high quality healthcare services and graduated  in 2017 with an MSc in Healthcare Management and Economics from the London School of Economics.