Dr Ian Aird

Dr  Ian Aird was appointed Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead in 1998. Prior to this appointment he served as Clinical Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Liverpool and worked within the Reproductive Medicine Unit of Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Since 2016 his clinical focus has been exclusively on gynaecology, sub‑fertility and reproductive medicine, and he remains in active practice as the senior clinician in the Gateshead Fertility Unit. The unit under his leadership delivers more than 700 assisted conception cycles each year, encompassing a full spectrum of treatment modalities from ovulation induction to in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Dr Aird possesses extensive experience in the investigation and management of complex fertility disorders, with a particular emphasis on assisted conception techniques. He has a recognised interest in gynaecological endocrinology, notably the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), hirsutism and amenorrhoea, and he frequently oversees multidisciplinary care pathways for these conditions. In addition, Dr Aird is the Trust’s lead clinician for menopause, providing specialist assessment and management for women with challenging menopausal presentations, including hormonal therapy optimisation and the treatment of vasomotor and psychological symptoms.

During his time as a Research Fellow and Clinical Lecturer, Dr Aird contributed to pioneering work on the reproductive rehabilitation of men with spinal cord injury, helping to establish a dedicated fertility programme linking regional SCI centres with reproductive medicine services in Merseyside. As a consultant, his research has focused on the impact of obesity on male and female reproductive function, and he has participated in multicentre trials addressing recurrent miscarriage, embryo implantation, and unexplained infertility. In 2016 he was awarded a Visiting Professorship at the University of Sunderland, reflecting his ongoing commitment to translational research in reproductive health.

Dr Aird served as the Trust’s RCOG College Tutor from 2004 to 2008 and subsequently as Training Programme Director for the Northern Deanery School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (2008 2018). He was appointed Head of the North East of England and North Cumbria School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from 2018 to 2024. From 2009 to 2024 he acted as the Deanery Preceptor for the RCOG Advanced Training Skills Module in Sub fertility and Reproductive Medicine, and since 2015 he has been a preceptor for the British Fertility Society training modules on the management of the infertile couple and on transvaginal ultrasound.

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In his consultant role, Dr Aird acted as Lead Clinician for Fertility Services and Unit Director of the Gateshead Fertility Unit from 1998 until 2023, and he was the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) designated Person Responsible for the unit from 1998 to 2022. He was elected to the executive committee of the British Fertility Society in 2018, subsequently chairing the Meetings Sub Committee that organises the annual international conference of the Joint UK Fertility Societies; he served as conference chair for Fertility 2021. From 2021 to 2024 Dr Aird held the position of Departmental Clinical Lead for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and he has been the Lead for SafeCare and Gynaecological Risk since 2017, overseeing quality assurance initiatives and patient safety programmes across the department.

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