General Surgery

 The Department of General Surgery includes:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Breast and Reconstructive Breast Surgery
• Laparoscopic Surgery
• Day Surgery
• Emergency Surgery
• General Paediatric Surgery.

In addition, visiting surgeons provide expertise in Vascular Surgery. The eight full-time and two visiting Consultants are all highly trained and very experienced. The Consultants are supported by a team of fully-trained and trainee surgeons, and are provided with state-of-the art facilities within a modern surgical unit. In addition, the department provides a 24-hour Emergency Surgery service that is led by Consultant Surgeons. 

What services are provided?

The department carries out both cancer and non-cancer surgery. There is a comprehensive service for the management of all colorectal and breast cancers; patients benefit from a close-knit multi-disciplinary team that includes cancer nurse specialists, radiologists, gastroenterologists & pathologists.  You will find further details under each specialty. Cancers of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract (stomach, oesophagus, pancreas) are referred to regional centres as per National Guidelines; patients still benefit from having their initial investigations, diagnosis and management plan being made locally & with the support of a multi-disciplinary team.

The department also carries out the whole range of benign (non-cancer) surgery, from specialised procedures such as laparoscopic (key-hole) anti-reflux surgery, surgery for Crohn’s disease, correction of rectal prolapse and reduction mammoplasty to the common general surgical operations such as hernia repair (both laparoscopic and open) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder).

Most of the common non-cancer surgery is carried out as day-cases, and patients are admitted to a dedicated Day-Surgery Ward where they are looked after by highly-trained nurses after their operations. For more major operations, patients are admitted as in-patients to dedicated Surgical Wards. These wards are also staffed by highly-trained nurses who are experienced in looking after surgery patients. Stringent infection control is a major focus of these wards.

Further information

The department’s surgical outcomes are consistently of a high standard. While its main focus is always on providing safe & high-quality care to its patients, the department is also active in the fields of research, training and teaching. It is closely linked to the University of East Anglia, and teaches medical students of the Norwich Medical School. The department is also a training centre for surgeons-in-training within the Anglia region. Click on the links to read more details.