Gastroenterologists
I have been a consultant at Waikato Hospital since 2019 where I care for patients with a broad range of GI disease and continue to pursue these research interests.
After multiple international moves over the years, my family and I are excited to have made the Waikato home, and I am passionate about providing outstanding gastroenterology services for our local community.
Areas of Expertise
- Accredited National Bowel Cancer Screening Endoscopist
- Diagnostic & Therapeutic Endoscopy (including chromoendoscopy)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s disease & ulcerative colitis)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Dyspepsia
- Coeliac disease
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Oesophageal manometry and pH studies
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Liver disease
Current Employment
Consultant Gastroenterologist & Endoscopy Training Lead, Waikato DHB
Qualifications
- FRACP (2017)
- MBChB (2006)
- BSc Med Sci (Hons) (2003)
Training
- Advanced Gastroenterology Fellowship, The Edinburgh IBD Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh (2018-2019)
- Advanced Training in Gastroenterology at Waikato & Christchurch Hospitals (2014-2017)
- Basic Physician Training in Wellington & Melbourne (2010-2014)
Research
- James Fulforth & Richard Gearry on behalf of The CCNZ #wecan’twait committee. Inequitable Access to IBD Therapies Extends Beyond Developing Nations. Journal of Crohn’s & Colitis (2022).
- Mathew Lyons, Lauranne Derikx, James Fulforth et al. Patterns of emergency admission for IBD patients over the last 10 years in Lothian, Scotland; a retrospective prevalent cohort analysis. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2022)
- N Plevris, J Fulforth, S Siakavellas et al. Real-world effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab for the treatment of Crohn’s disease: The Scottish ustekinumab cohort. Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2020)
Memberships
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology
- European Crohn’s & Colitis Organisation
I am a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider
I have been working as a consultant gastroenterologist at Waikato Hospital since 2008 where I manage a wide variety of patients with gastrointestinal disease and perform high quality endoscopy. I am the clinical lead for the infusion centre and I have been able to pursue teaching and research interests. I have subspecialist expertise in managing diseases of the bowel and I am well known for my excellent communication skills, thoroughness and empathetic nature.
Areas of Expertise
- Diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy (including chromoendoscopy for bowel cancer screening in inflammatory bowel disease)
- Gastroscopy
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease)
- Coeliac disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Functional gastrointestinal disorders
- Anaemia and gastrointestinal bleeding
- Colorectal cancer surveillance
- Reflux and dyspepsia
Current Employment
Consultant Gastroenterologist, Waikato DHB
Director of the Cambridge Specialist Centre
Qualifications
- FRACP (2007)
- BHB, MBChB (Auckland 2000)
Training
- Undergraduate degree from the Auckland School of Medicine
- Physician Training (2001– 2003), Waikato Hospital
- Advanced Gastroenterology Training (2004 – 2006), Waikato Hospital and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne
- Senior Clinical Fellowship in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (2007), Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne
Research
- My published research includes a review on the management of coeliac disease and studies on FODMAP malabsorption, non-coeliac gluten intolerance, iron in inflammatory bowel disease and thiopurine drug monitoring.
- I am the principal investigator and sub-investigator for several international multicentre clinical trials at Waikato Hospital.
Memberships
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology
- European Crohn’s & Colitis Organisation
- The International Bowel Ultrasound Group
I am a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider
Following my studies in Ireland I undertook an advanced interventional Endoscopy/ERCP fellowship at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Since 2014, I have worked as a consultant gastroenterologist at Tauranga Hospital. In February 2016, I became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Areas of Expertise
- Gastroscopy – diagnostic and therapeutic
- Colonoscopy – diagnostic and therapeutic (EMR/large colonic polyp removal)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Fatty liver
- ERCP
Current Employment
Consultant Gastroenterologist, Tauranga Hospital, Bay of Plenty DHB
Qualifications
MB Bch BAO (Dublin), MRCP (Ireland), MD (Ireland), CCST (Gastroenterology/General Medicine – Ireland), ERCP fellowship (Western Australia), FRACP (NZ)
Training
- Dublin, Ireland
- Perth, Western Australia
Research
With my colleagues at the Clinical Trial Unit at Tauranga Hospital, I take an active part in clinical trials in IBD, acting as a sub-investigator and principal investigator. I have presented research at numerous international meetings, and I am the author of a number of peer-reviewed publications as well.
Memberships
- Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
I am a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider
Areas of Expertise
- Endoscopy – diagnostic and therapeutic gastroscopy and colonoscopy
- Portal hypertension and fatty liver disease
- Hepatitis B and C
- Cirrhosis management
- Fibroscan
- Coeliac disease
- Dyspepsia and reflux disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome
Current Employment
Consultant Gastroenterologist, Waikato DHB
Qualifications
- MBChB 2009 (Auckland)
- FRACP
Training
- Otago University Medical School (MBChB)
- Advanced gastroenterology and hepatology training (FRACP) in New Zealand
- Transplant hepatology fellowship at University of Alberta Hospital, Canada
Memberships
- American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
- European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL)
- New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology
I am a Southern Cross Affiliated Provider
I am also excited about innovation and cutting edge medicine – I have been involved in the development of FastFx for Weight loss, and was the first in NZ to perform BRAVO and Stretta Procedures (for Reflux), and Spatz Balloon and ONDA (for the treatment of obesity).
Recent national audit numbers show I performed the most colonoscopies in New Zealand last year and have completed over 10,000 in the past 10 years. I also performed 30% of urgent, private endoscopies in NZ during the Covid-19 lockdown.
I am a locally trained gastroenterologist.
After completing specialist training in New Zealand, I undertook two advanced fellowships at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic (ranked #1 hospital in the US and the World) in the United States. During my time at the Mayo Clinic, I received extensive training under the tutelage of world leading experts in all areas of gastroenterology, hepatology and endoscopy.
“The needs of the patient come first” – I am deeply committed to providing the best possible care for my patients. Having returned to the Mighty Waikato with my young family, I am excited for the opportunity to work with local communities to improve the health of our people.
Expertise:
- Chronic liver disease including fatty liver disease, haemochromatosis, alcohol dependence, autoimmune liver disease and hepatocellular cancer
- Gastroscopy including oesophageal dilatation, PEG placement, oesophageal banding varices, polyp removal, management of acute GI bleeds
- Colonoscopy with polyp removal including endomucosal resection up to 4cm, chromoendoscopy, colonoscopic surveillance, National Bowel Cancer screener. My key performance indicators for colonoscopy are excellent, comfort scores good and I have had no major complications in the last 25 years.
I am originally from South Wales and completed my undergraduate medical training at the University of Birmingham, UK in 1989. After brief forays into renal medicine and rheumatology I entered advanced training in gastroenterology in 1994 and completed this in 2002. Along the way I was awarded an MD for laboratory based research into the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis: if I learnt one thing from my time in research it is that I am not a researcher I am a clinician. I emigrated to NZ in 2002 and after a brief stint at the North Shore hospital have worked as a consultant gastroenterologist at Rotorua hospital. I have many years experience in all aspects of gastroenterology and hepatology. The one thing I enjoy above all others in my practice is spending time with patients, trying to explain the underlying cause of their symptoms to help them understand what we can and cannot do to alleviate them.
After completing my specialist training in New Zealand, I moved to Melbourne Australia for a year to further subspecialize in advanced interventional endoscopy at Western Health Melbourne where I gained valuable experience in both luminal and hepatobiliary interventions.
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