Mr Raymond Oliphant is a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon who specialises in treating a range of abdominal and digestive conditions. He will be delighted to see you in clinic whether you are worried about specific symptoms, wish to discuss a confirmed diagnosis, or simply want the reassurance of a second opinion.

He specialises in treating people who have problems with:

• The large or small bowel (such as bowel cancer including screening tests, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or diverticular disease)
• The anorectum (such as piles or haemorrhoids, fissures, skin tags, pilonidal disease)
• Abdominal or groin hernias (such as inguinal, umbilical or hernia around a stoma)
• Gall bladder disease
• Or require investigations for digestive symptoms or concerns (such as abdominal pain, abdominal lumps, rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, weight loss or other problems)

Mr Oliphant combines patient-centred holistic care with advanced surgical and investigative techniques to offer patients the best outcomes and quickest recovery time.

When surgery is required, Mr Oliphant performs robotic surgery using the state of the art Da Vinci XI platform at Ross Hall Hospital.

He sees patients at Ross Hall Clinic Braehead and Inverness Outpatient Centre. He is happy to see patients referred from their GP, from other specialists and those who self-refer.

Robotic Surgery

Mr Oliphant was one of the first colorectal and general surgeons in Scotland to train in robotic surgery and has developed a high-volume robotic practice innovating in advanced techniques. He has spent time training in Vienna, Strasbourg, Santander, London and Copenhagen learning the latest advanced robotic techniques from international experts in the field. He was the first surgeon in Scotland to perform:

• a robotic Kono-S anastomosis (a specialist bowel operation for Crohn’s disease)
• a complex robotic paediatric colorectal operation
• a major robotic colorectal operation for colon cancer as a day case procedure
• a robotic panproctocolectomy (complete removal of the large bowel and anus)

Mr Oliphant is the only surgeon in Scotland performing EPSiT (Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment) and VAAFT (Video-Assisted Anal Fistula Treatment), whilst he is also one of only a few surgeons in Scotland trained in robotic complete mesocolic excision / central vascular ligation (CME/CVL) surgery that can increase survival for some patients with bowel cancer.

Compared to traditional surgery, robotic surgery using the Da Vinci XI platform can lead to less post-operative pain, faster recovery, fewer complications and better long-term outcomes for patients.

Mr Oliphant says:

“Robotic surgery has improved the outcomes for my patients dramatically allowing quicker recovery with fewer complications.  It offers patients the opportunity of having complex surgery performed with increased precision via a minimally invasive approach. For this reason, I routinely use robotic surgery to perform cases where I would have previously used laparoscopic or open surgery.”

Colonoscopy and Upper GI Endoscopy

Many digestive symptoms or problems will require further investigation involving a colonoscopy or endoscopy. Mr Oliphant has a high-volume colonoscopy and endoscopy practice (including bowel cancer screening tests and removal of polyps) and is fully JAG certified.

He is a member of the National Endoscopy Training Programme in Scotland and helps train other consultants. He is familiar with current best practice techniques to ensure high-quality procedures are performed with care and comfort.

He is the Clinical Lead for Endoscopy and Endoscopy Training for both NHS Highland and NHS Golden Jubilee. He successfully led the Endoscopy Unit at Raigmore Hospital in 2024 to gain full JAG Accreditation that reflects the highest standards of patient care and high-quality endoscopy practice.

Mr Oliphant is a member of the Colonoscopy Subcommittee for the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland and also sits on the British Society of Gastroenterology Endoscopy Guideline Committee specialising in best practice treatment for colorectal polyps.

Training and experience

Mr Oliphant completed higher surgical training in the West of Scotland in 2016 before training at the world-renowned St Mark’s Hospital in London including the Wolfson Unit of Endoscopy. He then completed a fellowship in minimally invasive colorectal surgery at Concord Repatriation Hospital in Sydney before being appointed as a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness in 2017. In 2023, he was appointed as a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital.

Mr Oliphant was awarded an MD from the University of Glasgow for research in colorectal cancer epidemiology. Research from this thesis was awarded the 2014 John Farndon Prize from the British Journal of Surgery. He was appointed as an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen in 2019. He has published more than 40 research papers including innovative techniques in robotic surgery.

He is married with 3 children and enjoys spending time with his family and dog (Dora) outside of work.

Mr Oliphant recently hosted an online patient information event on robotic surgery for general and colorectal conditions. You can register here to view this event on demand.

Clinical Interests

• Robotic colorectal surgery
• Robotic general surgery
• Colorectal cancer surgery
• Inflammatory bowel disease surgery (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Proctology including haemorrhoids, skin tags, fistulae, fissures, pilonidal disease
• Diverticular disease surgery
• Colonoscopy including bowel cancer screening
• Upper GI endoscopy
• Hernia surgery
• General surgery

• General Medical Council, UK
• Medical Defence Union, UK
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• Association of Coloproctology of GB&I
• European Society of Coloproctology
• Faculty of Surgical Trainers, Edinburgh
• St Mark’s Association