Dr Jim Macfarlane is a Consultant Respiratory and General Internal Medicine Physician at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where he specialises in TB, complex respiratory infection and Occupational lung disease.
Dr Macfarlane trained at both Cambridge and Oxford Universities, qualifying in 2004, before undergoing clinical training in Northampton, Exeter and South-East Scotland. In 2009 he moved to the North-East, completing his respiratory training and a PhD in neutrophil biology in acute lung injury at Newcastle University, after being awarded a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellowship. His specialty interests include TB/complex lung infection and Occupational lung disease.
North of Tyne Tuberculosis service
Dr Macfarlane is the clinical lead for the North of Tyne TB Service, working closely with Infectious Diseases colleagues, TB nurse specialists, TB lab technicians and Public Health specialists to identify and treat active TB cases early, perform contact screening and treat latent TB cases. The team also provides specialist clinical advice and care for complex TB cases around the North-East and manages all cases of multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB). Dr Macfarlane has established a successful bimonthly TB multidisciplinary team meeting and co-organises the biannual North-East TB Network meeting, where clinicians, specialist nurses and scientists meet to share excellent practice and learning.
Occupational Lung Disease service
Dr Macfarlane also leads the regional Occupational lung disease service, one of 9 national services that provide highly specialised assessments for suspected cases of occupational asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, dust-related lung diseases such as asbestosis and silicosis and other rare diseases related to certain occupations. The service receives referrals from GPs, respiratory physicians and occupational physicians and carries out airway responsiveness measurements, computerised peak flow analysis (OASYS), workplace visits and return to workplace challenges to diagnose and manage patients. Dr Macfarlane is a member of the Group of Occupational Respiratory Disease Specialists (GORDS) and serves on the British Thoracic Society (BTS) Occupational and Environmental Disease Specialist Advisory Group (SAG) since 2018.
Medical Education
Dr Macfarlane is the lead Tutor for the Foundation Programme in NUTH and a member of the Senior Education team, looking after the educational supervision and training of over 140 Foundation trainees in Newcastle. He also has a keen interest in undergraduate education, working as a lecturer, teacher, mentor and supervisor in a number of the clinical modules.
Other interests
When he is not at work, Dr Macfarlane loves the outdoors. He enjoys mountaineering, ski touring, camping and wild swimming with his family and friends in Northumberland, the Lakes and Scotland.
