Mr Daniel Lawes

Mr Daniel Lawes is the Chief of Service for Surgery and Anaesthetics at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon. He has held his consultant post at the trust since 2007. His clinical practice focuses on colorectal surgery, with particular expertise in minimally invasive approaches for colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and hernia surgery. He also has extensive experience in the treatment of benign and malignant conditions affecting the anal canal, including haemorrhoids, fissures, polyps and cancers, as well as pelvic floor disorders such as incontinence, prolapse and constipation.

Since joining Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Mr Lawes has played an important role in developing a number of service innovations. These include expanding the use of minimally invasive colorectal surgery, introducing enhanced recovery programmes following major operations, establishing a dedicated pelvic floor service and integrating gastroenterology and surgical clinics to improve care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Throughout his career he has held a number of senior leadership roles within the organisation, including Lead for Governance and Patient Safety, Lead for Colorectal Surgery, Chair of the Kent and Medway Colorectal Cancer Group, and Lead for Colorectal Research for Kent, Surrey and Sussex. He also served as Clinical Director for Surgery at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for more than five years.

Mr Lawes studied medicine at University College London Medical School, graduating in 1993. During his studies he also completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology. After qualifying, he worked as an anatomy demonstrator at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School before beginning his surgical training as a Senior House Officer at The Middlesex Hospital. Following success in the FRCS examination, he continued his surgical training as a registrar in general surgery in the North East Thames region.

He later returned to University College London as a Lecturer while undertaking laboratory-based research into the genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer, leading to the award of a Doctor of Medicine degree. After completing this research period, he continued his specialist clinical training in colorectal and laparoscopic surgery at several leading centres, including University College London, The Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew’s Hospital and St Mark’s Hospital.

Mr Lawes further developed his expertise during a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, United States, where he focused on advanced colorectal surgery and was awarded the position of Assistant Professor of Colorectal Surgery. On returning to the United Kingdom in 2007, he took up his consultant position at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

In addition to his clinical and leadership work, Mr Lawes has made significant academic contributions and has authored more than 60 scientific papers, presentations and book chapters related to surgical practice and colorectal disease.