MBBS BSc FRCS PGCME
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Live bookings available
16 years of experience
Bristol, BS6 6UT
(+3 more)
21 connections in healthcare
Skill endorsed
by Mr Peter Gallacher, Mr James Murray and 4 other professionals
Live bookings available
16 years of experience
Bristol, BS6 6UT
(+3 more)
21 connections in healthcare
Skill endorsed
by Mr Peter Gallacher, Mr James Murray and 4 other professionals
Areas of expertise
Contact
Book online
Mr. James Smith is an expert and compassionate Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising knee surgery and complex trauma. He provides care at Spire and Nuffield Hospitals in Bristol, alongside an NHS practice at The Bristol Royal Infirmary and The Avon Orthopaedic Centre at Southmead Hospital. With a patient-centred approach, Mr. Smith is dedicated to delivering the best possible care tailored to each individual's needs.
Mr. Smith's practice encompasses the treatment of all knee conditions. He offers arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery for meniscal tears and cartilage injuries, ensuring minimal invasiveness and quicker recovery times. Additionally, he provides a range of ligament reconstructions, particularly cruciate ligament procedures (ACL/PCL), customised according to each patient's specific goals and needs. For those with early arthritis, he specialises in knee osteotomy (realignment surgery), aiming to delay the need for joint replacement. When arthritis is more advanced, he offers both partial and total knee replacements, selecting the most appropriate approach based on the pattern of the disease. He also has a speciality practice in managing patellofemoral pain and instability, and recieves referrals from across the country for this.
Raised in Bristol, Mr. Smith graduated from Imperial College London Medical School in 2009. He completed his specialist orthopaedic training through the prestigious Severn Deanery training programme. His expertise was further enhanced through two years of subspecialty fellowship training—first in major orthopaedic trauma in Calgary, Canada, and then in knee replacement, sports knee surgery, and the management of patellofemoral disorders at the esteemed Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry.
Beyond his clinical practice, Mr. Smith is deeply involved in research and medical education. He has presented and published his research both nationally and internationally and serves as faculty at various national conferences. Additionally, he trains an international orthopaedic fellow in his NHS practice, ensuring the next generation of surgeons is well-prepared.
For more information, please visit www.bristolkneesurgeon.com
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General Medical Council
No. 7049862
British Association of Surgery for the Knee (BASK)
No. 10680
University of Calgary
AO Major Trauma Fellowship
Graduated 2021
Imperial College London
Health Care Management
Graduated 2007
Royal College of Surgeons
Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
Graduated
University of Bristol
Medical Education
Graduated
Imperial College School of Medicine
Medicine
Graduated 2009
Read publications and papers written by this specialist.
01 / 02 / 2025
Patellofemoral joint replacement: the Bristol perspective
Published in Orthopaedics and Trauma
28 / 12 / 2020
Fixed bearing lateral unicompartmental arthroplasty - a final outcome study with up to 28 year follow-up of a single implant
Published in The Knee
27 / 01 / 2021
St Georg Sled medial unicompartmental arthroplasty; survivorship analysis and function at 20 years follow-up
Published in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
08 / 01 / 2021
Patellofemoral Joint Arthroplasty: Patient selection, surgical technique and outcomes
Published in Orthopaedics and Trauma
This summary was created by AI based on recent reviews
Mr James Smith is professional, friendly, and reassuring when interacting with patients. He provides excellent care and offers clear, detailed explanations for various knee issues and surgical procedures. Patients report high satisfaction with their outcomes, feeling confident and comfortable throughout their treatment. His expertise covers treatments for knee pain, torn meniscus (cartilage), knee surgery, and knee replacement.
Mr Smith provided excellent care - taking time to fully diagnose the issue, talk through options and explain the details of the operation. At the start of the operation, he put me at ease and spent time with me after to review the procedure and next steps.
Very good the support before and after operation was has been excellent and I’ve none of the potential problems that were explained
Mr smith was so professional in my review on my knee replacement and had a very personal manner about him ,excellent all round ,many thanks Clive B.

Thanks Clive. All the best for the future
Fantastic explanation. Great detail delivered very professionally. Thanks James.
James was fantastic, really helpful and reassuring explaining all the parts of the knee in play. Things I should expect and how it would go. Post op was very helpful in reassuring me at what I could and couldn't do. Great experience all round

Thank you for your kind words. So glad you have a made a great recovery! On to 2026!
The whole process start to finish was reassuring and was always explained in detail during each stage of the process.
I am extremely happy with the care I received from Mr Smith. He is very informative, approachable and has an excellent bedside manner. I would definitely recommend his expertise to others. I am very pleased with the results of my surgeries
I would 100% highly recommend Mr Smith, he made sure all of my questions were answered and was so positive throughout. He was willing to put his all into making my knee feel better and for me to be able to go back to my passion of horse riding. My knee feels the best it has felt in years and I’m very grateful to him for putting his time and effort to help me.
Extremely informative, very skilful surgeon, really neat scar, and much quicker recovery than expected. Excellent service and never kept waiting

Mr Peter Gallacher
Orthopaedic SurgeonJames is a kind and considerate doctor who has good surgical skills. He has gained significant experience in the PFJ. A strong choice.
16 Feb 2026
Mr James Murray
Orthopaedic SurgeonJames is an excellent colleague and i regularly refer my patients to him for problems with their knees. He is committed to offering his patients the best care, in line with up-to-date research and best practice.
29 Nov 2025
Mr Niall Sullivan
Orthopaedic SurgeonI endorse James Smith as a knee surgeon for his exceptional skill, clear communication, compassionate care, and outstanding surgical skills.
29 Nov 2025
Mr Damian Clark
Orthopaedic SurgeonWhat are Mr James Smith's reviews like?
Mr James Smith's overall patient rating is 4.99 out of 5 stars on Doctify. This is based on 41 reviews.
What languages does Mr James Smith speak?
Mr James Smith speaks English
Where is Mr James Smith located?
Mr James Smith primarily practices at Spire Bristol Hospital, located at Redland Hill Durdham Down, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS6 6UT
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What are Mr James Smith working hours?
Mr James Smith is working Tuesday (08:00 - 12:00, 08:00 - 12:00), Thursday (08:30 - 12:30)
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Does Mr James Smith accept new patients?
Mr James Smith generally accepts new patients.
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