Personal Profile

Dr Kalpesh Besherdas is a Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer and Gastroenterologist at the University College London Hospital and Medical School. Dr Besherdas is actively involved in teaching and training undergraduates at Chase Farm Hospital as the lead clinician for medicine. He is also a member of the Specialist Training Committee in Gastroenterology within the London Deanery.

Dr Besherdas completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London in 1991 (studying at St George’s Hospital Medical School). Dr Besherdas undertook his higher educational training in Gastroenterology, within the North East Thames region, as part of the London Deanery. During his training he worked at the Royal Free Hospital for three years at the centre for Gastroenterology and Liver unit. Dr Besherdas also practiced in various general hospitals within the North Thames region.

Dr Besherdas has been a consultant since 2000 and has developed an interest and expertise in therapeutic endoscopy. He is a JAG (Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) accredited bowel cancer screening colonoscopist and performs a weekly screening list at UCLH. He also has expertise in endoscopy of the biliary tree (ERCP) of which he undertakes more than 150 procedures per annum. He is expert at diagnostic and therapeutic upper GI endoscopy (gastroscopy) including dilatation of the oesophagus along with stenting and feeding tube insertions.

During his research period at The Royal Free Hospital, he researched into dyspepsia, helicobacter pylori and functional bowel disorders including irritable bowel syndrome with emphasis on minimally invasive gastrointestinal motility testing. He continues to have an interest in functional GI disorders (Irritable bowel syndrome and non-ulcer dyspepsia) as well as inflammatory bowel disease.

In addition, he has consultant experience in diagnosis and management of commonly presenting gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, heartburn, regurgitation, anorexia, weight loss, difficulty with swallowing, painful swallowing, altered bowel habit, diarrhoea, constipation, altered bowel habit, nausea, vomiting, vomiting blood, bloating, abdominal distension, rectal bleeding, jaundice, and the diagnosis of abnormal liver function tests and anaemia along with abnormalities seen on abdominal scanning. He regularly manages patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, hiatus hernia, oesophagitis, motility disorders of the oesophagus, gastric and duodenal ulceration, coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colonic polyps, diverticulitis, bowel cancer screening, haemorrhoids, gallbladder disorders, fatty liver and other disorders of liver function.

Dr Besherdas has published widely. Since 2005 to the present day (2013), he has featured in more than 60 publications and presented his work in various national and international Gastroenterology meetings over this period.

Dr Besherdas is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a full Member of the British Society of Gastroenterology, Member of the American Society of Gastroenterology, Member of the BMA, and a Member of the Medical Protection Society.  

Clinical Interests

• Endoscopy, diagnostic and therapeutic including ERCP
• Colorectal cancer screening and colonoscopy
• Dyspepsia and reflux including helicobacter
• Functional bowel disorders including Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• GI cancer diagnosis

Professional Memberships

• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP)
• British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG)
• American Society of Gastroenterology
• British Medical Association (BMA)
• Medical Protection Society