Dr Alexander Ford

I am a consultant gastroenterologist at Spire Leeds and have been a consultant gastroenterologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust for 12 years. I am also a professor of gastroenterology at the University of Leeds, with a research interest in functional bowel disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, and have published more than 400 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. This gives me a thorough grounding in how to manage these common disorders using an up-to-date and evidence-based approach.

I have specialist accreditation in gastroenterology, with extensive experience in the investigation and management of irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's oesophagus, peptic ulcer disease, coeliac disease, chronic constipation, and inflammatory bowel disease. I perform both diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. I have performed more than 6,000 endoscopies and colonoscopies in both my NHS and private practice.

In addition to my clinical work, I am also a professor of gastroenterology at the University of Leeds. I supervise two PhD and MD fellows in my academic time, and organise first year medical student teaching in Gastroenterology. I am handling editor for Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, a scientific journal in the field of Gastroenterology. I am also secretary of the neurogastroenterology section of the British Society of Gastroenterology. I have previously been a member of two National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines groups, for the management of Crohn's disease, and dyspepsia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

In 2013 I was elected as a fellow of the Rome Foundation, the organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people with functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome. This was in recognition of the significant contribution my research has made to the mission of the organisation.