Don't suffer with painful gallstones.
For all enquiries call us on : 0121 446 1766
INTRODUCTION
In most cases gallstones don't cause serious issues and are surprisingly common, affecting around 15% of people over 50. If symptoms occur however, it is likely you will need surgery to alleviate the pain which can occur in the back and abdomen.
The Gallbladder clinic is a specialist service dedicated to the management of all aspects of gallstone and gallbladder disease. Bespoke individualised treatment is easily accessible with prompt treatment delivered by expert surgeons.
Why wait? Our surgeons can arrange to see you within just a few days and arrange an operation within two weeks. If your condition is stopping you enjoying an active lifestyle we can help you back on your journey to health.
THE CLINIC
We are a group of three specialist consultant surgeons who work closely together. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive and bespoke service for the management of gallstones. By working together, we are able to offer very prompt treatment at a time that suits you. Our clinics are based in Birmingham and Worcestershire and provide state of the art treatment of gallstones and gallbladder conditions in accredited private hospitals. We are recognised by all major insurance companies and for those without insurance, our affordable packages of care make gallbladder surgery readily accessible.
OUR SPECIALISTS
Mr Max Almond
Birmingham Based Consultant SurgeonMr Almond works as an NHS Consultant Surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham. He is a specialist in treating patients with gallstones and gallbladder pathology and regularly performs cholecystectomy with or without intra-operative cholangiography. He performs advanced keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery for gallstone disease but is also highly skilled at open gallbladder surgery.
Mr Almond also performs highly specialist endoscopic treatment for gallstones that have migrated into the bile ducts. He is the only surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to provide this service. This procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) enables removal of bile duct stones without the need for surgical incisions in the abdomen. He received specialist training in this procedure whilst on Fellowships to Harvard University, Boston; the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; and the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, US.
Mr Almond completed subspecialty training in upper gastrointestinal and pancreaticobiliary surgery and then gained further specialist experience in abdominal and retroperitoneal sarcoma surgery through additional Fellowships to the Istitutio Dei Tumori, Milan and the Royal Marsden Hospital, London.
In 2010 Mr Almond was granted a prestigious Royal College of Surgeons Research Fellowship. He was subsequently awarded a Doctorate of Medicine following his research into early detection and treatment of oesophageal cancer. He has published more than 70 research articles and book chapters including a leading article on post-operative recovery following gallbladder surgery.
Mr Almond also specialises in the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumours, hiatal hernias, acid reflux, abdominal wall hernias, and performs upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Mr Sam Ford
Birmingham and Worcester Based Consultant SurgeonMr Samuel Ford works as an NHS Consultant Surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham. He is a specialist in treating patients with gallstones and gallbladder pathology and regularly performs cholecystectomy with or without intra-operative cholangiography. He performs advanced keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery for gallstone disease but is also highly skilled at open gallbladder surgery.
Mr Ford trained in general and upper GI surgery in the South West and after completion of training in 2014 undertook further specialist Fellowships in sarcoma surgery in Birmingham and Milan.
Mr Ford was awarded a PhD in cancer biology from the University of Birmingham following a highly competitive Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Fellowship. His research portfolio is centred on optimising outcomes for patients with soft tissue sarcoma and he has contributed to international consensus statements and published papers on the management of sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) and neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Mr Ford is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham.
Mr Ford is also a specialist in the management of benign disease, especially hiatal hernias, acid reflux, gallstones, abdominal wall hernias and lipomas.
Mr Ewen Griffiths
Birmingham Based Consultant Upper GI SurgeonMr Ewen Griffiths works as NHS Consultant Surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham. He is a specialist in treating patients with gallstones and gallbladder pathology and regularly performs cholecystectomy with or without intra-operative cholangiography. He can perform the operation with advanced keyhole techniques, but is also skilled at removing the gallbladder as an open procedure.
Mr Griffiths graduated MB ChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) from Dundee University, Scotland in 2000. He achieved Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (Glasgow) in 2004. His research in to ‘hypoxia associated factors’ in oesophagogastric cancer at Paterson Institute of Cancer Research, Christie Hospital, Manchester and Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester led to many publications in leading medical journals and the award of MD (Doctorate in Medicine) degree from Manchester University in 2006. Higher surgical training was obtained in the North West of England, including Specialist Registrar posts in Salford Royal Hospital and Royal Preston Upper Gastrointestinal Units. He obtained his Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons in 2010 and completion of specialist surgical training (CCT) in 2012. He trained for a year as a Senior Upper Gastrointestinal Fellow in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia. His training in Australia was in the field of advanced laparoscopic surgery for biliary / gallbladder surgery, anti-reflux surgery, giant hiatus hernia repairs, upper GI cancer and Bariatric surgery.
He joined the Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery unit, as a Consultant, at the University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation NHS Trust in Sept 2012. He was joint Chief Investigator for the successful ‘CholeS study’, which was the largest audit of cholecystectomies performed in the UK and Ireland with a team was from the West Midlands Research Collaborative (WMRC). This recruited 8909 patients who had cholecystectomy in a 2 month period in 2014 with 30 day follow-up. This involved collaborating with 646 collaborators (trainees, consultants, surgical nurses, research nurses, audit facilitators) from 167 hospitals. Publications of our results were achieved in the British Journal of Surgery (3 main results papers), Surgical Endoscopy (2 papers), World Journal of Surgery ,HPB Journal and British Medical Journal Open and it was arguably the most successful cholecystectomy research project performed in the UK.
SELF FUNDING PATIENTS
Affordable Gallbladder Surgery
More and more people are opting to self-fund private outpatient consultations and surgical treatments. Our clinic consultants all accept patients who do not have private medical insurance.
People often find that the costs are less than they imagined and private medical care offers a prompt and efficient option at a time that suits you.
PRICES TABLE
Initial Consultation
£220
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
From £6200
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with cholangiogram
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with Common Bile Duct Exploration
Open Cholecystectomy
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP)
The vast majority of gallstone cases are fairly straightforward and the prices above are what you can expect to pay.
Our prices include the initial consultation, the operation to remove your gallbladder including all hospital costs as well as one follow up visit to see your consultant.
Please note that every patient is an individual and sometimes that means that prices can vary depending on the complexity of the surgery, length of hospital stay and your chosen hospital.
We are committed to keeping you fully informed of the price at all times: we do not want our patients to receive any surprise bills.
For more information on our terms and conditions please click below.
INSURED PATIENTS
Our specialists are recognised by all the main private health insurance providers, including many international and expatriate insurance companies. It is essential to always contact your private insurance company to obtain clearance prior to any consultation or treatment.
The clinic staff can be contacted and provide any necessary information you may need including professional fees and investigation / procedure codes and costs. Please note that the level of cover will depend on your individual policy and sometimes you may be asked to make an excess payment.
TESTIMONIALS
Feedback from our Patients