Personal Profile
Dr Philipose completed his Gastroenterology Specialist Registrar training along with sub-speciality Hepatology training from South Thames Deanery starting with a research job at Croydon University Hospital. The training included 2 years of sub-speciality training in Hepatology at King’s Liver unit and St George’s hospital. During his training, he has been exposed to all aspects of Gastroenterology and is well- versed with all endoscopic gastroenterological procedures.
He has obtained awards for his presentations and has published in peer-reviewed journals. His Hepatology training was at the largest liver transplantation centre in Europe where he gained an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of liver transplantation, Liver ITU and liver disease, being the referral centre for most hospitals from the South England. His second year of Hepatology training was at teaching hospital St George’s hospital. After completion of his training, he undertook a senior clinical fellowship job at the world famous centre of Gastroenterology academics, St Mark’s Hospital and Academic institute.
In October 2009, Dr Philipose accepted a full-time Consultant Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist post at Worthing hospital where he worked until January 2016. During these years, he set-up various new developments and was single-handedly managing the Hepatopancreatico-biliary service in the hospital including being the only ERCP endoscopist for the hospital for a period of time. He also held important positions like chair of the gastroenterology journal club, endoscopy training lead, core member of Upper GI and HPB cancer group, Principal Investigator for national trials in gastroenterology.
Subsequent to this, he was offered a chance to work as a Consultant Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist at Croydon University Hospital with a view to setting up several services with the focus mainly on Hepatology. He has been serving as the Hepatology Lead since my appointment here. In the 2 years here, he managed to set up Hepatology clinics with setting up of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C treatment locally which never existed, ever before, at Croydon University Hospital after several discussions with the relevant stakeholders, thereby repatriating all the work from the tertiary centres. At the same time, he managed to strengthen the collaboration with the liver team at King’s College Liver unit.
In addition Dr Philipose has set up a benign radiology MDT for GI medicine alone. He has been working in close partnership with Public Health Croydon and been part of a team called Croydon Integrated Personalised care for people with Alcohol and other long term conditions. Dr Philipose set up a Fibroscan service( a non-invasive test)to be made available to all our patients for a more in-depth analysis of liver condition for patients with liver diseases. I have started the provision of transjugular liver biopsy at Croydon University Hospital, which is now performed by the radiology team. He contributes greatly to the Interventional endoscopy/ERCP services at Croydon University hospital and currently, he is the operator with the highest number of ERCP procedures per annum.
He currently also works at St George’s hospital where he performs Endoscopic Ultrasound, which again was not available locally prior to my appointment here. He is the only clinician performing Endoscopic Ultrasound in Croydon. He is also the only consultant managing viral hepatitis at Croydon University Hospital.
Procedures performed
All types of diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower GI endoscopies including treatment of GI bleeding with clipping, banding, APC, injection therapy, oesophageal and pyloric stenting, PEG tube insertions, insertion of nasogastric and nasojejunal tubes, ERCP management of bile duct stones, strictures related to bile duct or pancreatic cancers, stenting, side view endoscopy, push enteroscopy, wireless video capsule endoscopy, Oesophageal manometry and oesophageal ambulatory pH studies, polypectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection. My completion rates are above the required rate for all procedures and my complication rates are below the evidence based average.
Dr Philipose special expertise also includes endoscopic ultrasound assessment of all pancreatic cysts including sampling for biochemical and cytological analysis, assessment of upper GI wall abnormalities like submucosal lesions including sampling, assessment of the ampulla, ruling out microlithiasis in the gall bladder and bile ducts thereby helping in assessing causes of recurrent pancreatitis, assessment of pancreaticobiliary system in those patients where MRI is contraindicated.
Finally, he has been practising Gastroenterology and Hepatology as independent consultant both in the NHS and in the private sector since 2009 and I have treated a wide variety of conditions in this field. He spends a lot of time and effort in listening to their actual symptoms and directing them to only the appropriate investigations, but at the same time, getting to the diagnosis and leaving all the patients with a definite diagnosis and a clear and comprehensive management plan. Dr Philipose realises his limitations and he always seeks help from other colleagues or specialities. He recommends a second opinion, if he feels the case so warrants it. He strongly believes in getting to the bottom of the gastroenterology problem and most of my patients do end up with a diagnosis more than irritable bowel syndrome and a clear management plan, including referral to a trained dietician , as part of a multidisciplinary approach. With his vast experience, wide knowledge, excellent patient feedback and extensive endoscopic skills, he feels that he can manage most gastroenterology problems. He always focuses on a patient empowered and personalised patient approach. Dr Philipose has strong links with all tertiary gastroenterology and liver centres and refer cases promptly that need attention there. Irritable Bowel syndrome is only diagnosed when all other causes have been excluded including food intolerances.
