Mr James Wheeler
Qualifications
MB BCh, MD, FRCS, FRCS (Gen Surg)
GMC number: 3615113
Practising since: 1992
Specialties
General Surgery
Consultation times
- Weekly Wednesday AM/PM
- Other times are available via secretary
- Overview
About
James Wheeler graduated from the University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff in 1992. He completed his early years of surgical training in Cardiff before completing specialist surgical training in Colorectal and General Surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. During his time at Oxford, he spent two years in full-time research and studied colorectal cancer genetics at the Institute of Molecular Medicine. This led to the award of his MD for work entitled “Epigenetics, mismatch repair genes and colorectal cancer”. The Royal College of Surgeons of England has previously recognised this research with the award of the title of Hunterian Professor. He continues to have several research interests as an NHS Consultant and has published over 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. He has won several prizes including the Gold Medal from the Hunterian Society, and the Digestive Disease Foundation “research prize”.
Mr Wheeler was appointed to his current post as Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge in 2013. He has recently been appointed as Clinical Director for Digestive Diseases (Surgery and Gastroenterology) at Addenbrookes Hospital. He had previously worked as a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at Cheltenham General Hospital having been appointed in 2003, and with colleagues, established a highly regarded specialist colorectal practice in Gloucestershire.
His areas of colorectal expertise include laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, the significance of a family history of colorectal cancer and polyps, and screening and the genetics of colorectal cancer. He sees patients with colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's and colitis, diverticular disease, and all anorectal problems including modern treatment of haemorrhoids (piles), fistulae, fissure, incontinence and prolapse. He has a wide experience with all endoscopic techniques including advanced colonoscopy (with the removal of polyps), flexible sigmoidoscopy and gastroscopy – he is a fully accredited Bowel Cancer Screening Programme colonoscopist. As a fully trained General Surgeon, he offers treatment for all hernias, including laparoscopic (keyhole) repair. He also has a large experience in the treatment of complex incisional hernias, including those that may require abdominal wall reconstruction.
He regularly audits his surgical outcome data and presents the results at international meetings and publishes in peer-reviewed journals.
Mr Wheeler has a strong background in the training of future surgeons and has held several appointments at both a regional and national level. He is currently an Educational Supervisor at Addenbrookes Hospital and has previously been a regional Training Programme Director for surgical trainees. He has held several appointments at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, including the Chair of surgical training committees. He currently sits on the Intercollegiate General Surgery Advisory Committee and is the National Lead for Quality Assurance in Surgical Training, reporting to the Joint Committee on Surgical Training of the UK. He is Chair of the Education and Training Committee and an Executive Member of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland.
Mr Wheeler only treats patients of 18 years and above.
Other interests
Mr Wheeler has extensive experience with TEMS (transanal endoscopic microsurgery), a minimally invasive technique for treating rectal polyps and early rectal cancer, often avoiding more major surgery. He keeps abreast of all the latest developments in colorectal surgery and was the first surgeon in Gloucestershire to perform extralevator abdomino-perineal excision of the rectum (ELAPE), a procedure designed to improve outcomes for patients with locally advanced low rectal cancer. He has also been an innovator in sphincter-preserving fistula surgery, introducing the Anal Fistula Plug (AFP) in Gloucestershire, and advanced treatment of colonic polyps, combining laparoscopic (keyhole) and endoscopic approaches to complex polyps, which can avoid the need for major surgery. He regularly audits his surgical outcome data and both present the results at international meetings and publish them in peer review journals.
Mr Wheeler has a strong background in the training of future surgeons and has held several appointments at both a regional and national level. He is currently an Educational Supervisor at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and has previously been a regional Training Programme Director for surgical trainees. He has held several appointments at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, including the Chair of surgical training committees. He currently sits on the Intercollegiate General Surgery Advisory Committee and is responsible for Quality Assurance, reporting to the Joint Committee on Surgical Training of the UK.
Treatments and tests offered by Mr James Wheeler at Nuffield Health
- Gastroscopy (or gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy)
- Antral washout
- Transanal haemorrhoid dearterialisation (THD)
- Therapeutic Endoscopy
- Abdominoperineal resection
- Hernia repair
- Rectopexy
- Colorectal screening
- Colonoscopy
- Rectal examination under anaesthetic (or rectal EUA)
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Colorectal surgery
- Diagnostic endoscopy
- Haemorrhoidectomy
- Anterior resection
Locations Mr James Wheeler works with
Related experience
Research
Mr Wheeler’s doctoral thesis examined both the genetic and epigenetic changes in colorectal cancer. The Royal College of Surgeons of England has previously honoured this research with the award of the title of Hunterian Professor. He continues to have several research interests as an NHS Consultant and has published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. He has won several prizes including the Gold Medal from the Hunterian Society, and the Digestive Disease Foundation “research prize”. His clinical research interests include early diagnosis of colorectal cancer, bowel cancer screening, colonoscopy, minimally invasive techniques (keyhole) for the treatment of colonic and rectal polyps, and the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of rectal cancer.
Memberships
- Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
- Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- Medical Protection Society
- Hospital Consultants and Specialist Association
- Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Other posts held
- Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital