IBS, reflux, H. pylori, persistent abdominal pain, change in bowel habit, suspected coeliac disease, abnormal liver tests, iron deficiency anaemia — assessed by a GMC-registered GP with experience managing common GI conditions. Where your case calls for endoscopy, colonoscopy, or consultant gastroenterology input, we coordinate the right onward referral with a clear clinical summary.
We are GP-led, not a consultant gastroenterology clinic. For many common GI problems, that's the right starting point. Where your case needs a hospital gastroenterologist, we'll say so — and we'll help you get there quickly.
Most gastrointestinal problems are well-managed at GP level — with a careful history, the right tests, evidence-based first-line treatment, and clear escalation if things don't settle. Here's what we routinely see and treat.
Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea, constipation or mixed pattern. Diagnosis, exclusion of other causes (coeliac, IBD where indicated), dietary advice (low-FODMAP framework), antispasmodics, and onward referral where symptoms don't settle or red flags emerge.
Heartburn, regurgitation, acid reflux. Lifestyle and dietary review, PPI trial where appropriate, H. pylori testing if indicated. For persistent symptoms despite treatment, or red flags, we refer for upper GI endoscopy (OGD).
Stool antigen or breath testing, eradication therapy with first- or second-line antibiotic regimens, and test-of-cure 4–8 weeks after treatment. H. pylori is a common, treatable cause of reflux, peptic ulcer disease, and dyspepsia.
Persistent or recurrent abdominal pain. History, examination, baseline bloods, imaging if indicated. We'll work through likely causes (functional, biliary, gastritis, gynaecological, urological) and either treat at GP level or refer to the right specialist.
Persistent diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating pattern. Detailed history, faecal calprotectin (to differentiate IBS from IBD), thyroid and coeliac screening, plus careful red-flag assessment to determine whether the right next step is GP-led care or urgent specialist referral.
Anti-TTG and total IgA blood test (the recommended first-line screening). If positive, onward referral for confirmatory duodenal biopsy via endoscopy. Important: stay on a gluten-containing diet until the diagnostic process is complete, otherwise testing becomes unreliable.
If you already have a Crohn's or ulcerative colitis diagnosis, we can support ongoing care — private treatments for maintenance medications, monitoring bloods, faecal calprotectin tracking, and coordination with your NHS or private gastroenterology team. We don't initiate biologic therapy or manage acute flares — those stay with your IBD team.
Abnormal liver function tests (raised ALT/AST/GGT), suspected fatty liver, unexplained iron deficiency anaemia (often gastro-related). Structured workup with appropriate blood panels, imaging where needed, and onward referral to hepatology or gastroenterology if findings warrant it.
The NHS two-week wait (2WW) cancer pathway is one of the things the NHS does well. For suspected cancer red flags, going to your NHS GP first and asking for a 2WW referral is faster than coming to us and being referred onward privately. We'd rather you got the right pathway than felt you had to pay for our consultation first.
What to do: Contact your NHS GP this week and explicitly ask about the 2WW upper GI / lower GI referral pathway if your symptoms fit. NHS 2WW gets you to a specialist within 14 days for cancer-suspicious symptoms. If you don't have an NHS GP, call NHS 111 or attend a walk-in centre. For acute severe symptoms — significant rectal bleeding, severe pain, vomiting blood, signs of shock — call 999 or go to A&E. The Royal London A&E is 5 minutes from us.
If you've already been to your NHS GP and feel you weren't taken seriously, or you'd like a private second opinion alongside the NHS pathway, we can absolutely help — book a consultation and bring any letters or test results you have.
Several core gastroenterology investigations are hospital-based and aren't done in this clinic. We refer to private endoscopy services across London (or via NHS 2WW where that's the right pathway). The referral comes with a clinical summary — we don't take a commission or referral fee from any external provider.
What we do do: assess your case carefully, run the right baseline tests, treat what we can treat at GP level, and write the referral letter for endoscopy or specialist input where that's the right next step.
A typical case progresses through a structured pathway. The exact steps depend on your symptoms, but the principle is: history first, targeted tests second, treatment trial where appropriate, escalation where needed.
A 30-minute appointment to take a detailed symptom history — what's happening, how long, what makes it better or worse, family history, medications, lifestyle factors. We assess for red flags carefully, examine your abdomen, and agree the next step. Sometimes the answer is "this looks like IBS — here's the plan." Sometimes it's "let's do some baseline blood work and review." Sometimes it's "this needs an urgent referral."
Where indicated — faecal calprotectin (IBS vs IBD), coeliac screen (TTG + IgA), H. pylori testing, FBC and iron studies, liver function tests, thyroid function. Blood tests are done on-site by our nurse team; results typically back in 24–48 hours via TDL. Stool tests have a slightly longer turnaround.
For conditions we can manage at GP level — functional IBS, GORD without red flags, H. pylori, mild iron deficiency — we'll start treatment and review. For conditions needing endoscopy, specialist gastroenterology, or hepatology input, we write the referral letter to a private provider of your choice (or via NHS 2WW where that's the right pathway).
Treatment review at 4–8 weeks for most conditions. With your consent, we write to your NHS GP so they have a complete record. If you've been referred to a private endoscopy service, we can review the results with you and discuss next steps in a follow-up appointment.
See us first if: you have a persistent but non-red-flag GI symptom that you want assessed promptly without waiting for an NHS GP appointment; you've already seen your NHS GP and want a second opinion or quicker workup; you have a known condition (IBS, GORD, IBD) and want ongoing management.
Go to NHS 2WW or NHS GP first if: you have any of the red flags listed above; you need a colonoscopy or endoscopy and the NHS 2WW pathway is the appropriate (and free) route; the diagnosis you're worried about is cancer — the NHS cancer pathway is excellent and fast where it applies.
Go to A&E or call 999 if: you have severe abdominal pain, significant bleeding from anywhere, signs of bowel obstruction (severe vomiting, no stool or gas), or any rapidly worsening symptoms. The Royal London A&E is 5 minutes' walk from us.
No — not in this clinic. Our gastroenterology service is GP-led. For many common GI problems, that's the right level of care — a thorough GP can manage IBS, GORD, H. pylori, coeliac screening, iron deficiency and abnormal liver tests at first-line level just as well as a consultant would for the same problem. When your case needs consultant input — endoscopy needed, IBD diagnosis, complex liver disease, suspected malignancy — we'll write a referral to a private consultant gastroenterologist or to NHS 2WW, whichever is the right pathway.
IBS is one of the most common reasons people come to us. The appointment will involve: a detailed symptom history (timing, triggers, pattern, severity); abdominal examination; assessment of red flags to make sure we're not missing something else; a discussion about diagnostic confidence (is this clearly IBS or do we need to exclude other things?); blood tests for coeliac and thyroid, plus faecal calprotectin to differentiate from IBD if relevant.
If everything points to IBS, we'll discuss management — dietary approaches (often low-FODMAP), antispasmodics, gut-directed mental health support where useful (CBT has good evidence for IBS), and lifestyle factors. We'll be honest that IBS is rarely "cured" but is highly manageable for most people.
Stool antigen testing typically takes 3–5 working days for results. Breath testing (where we use it) is similar. We'll discuss any positive results in a follow-up consultation, prescribe eradication therapy (a one-week course of three medications usually) and arrange a test-of-cure 4–8 weeks after completion. Note: PPIs must be stopped for at least 2 weeks before H. pylori testing to avoid false negatives — we'll advise you on this if you're already on one.
Tricky one. Coeliac antibody testing (anti-TTG) becomes unreliable on a gluten-free diet — the antibodies fade over weeks to months, so you may test negative even if you have coeliac. The standard approach is a gluten challenge — eating the equivalent of 2-3 slices of bread daily for 6 weeks before testing — which patients sometimes find difficult if gluten makes them feel unwell.
Alternative pathways: HLA-DQ2 / DQ8 genetic testing can rule out coeliac (if both genes are negative, coeliac is virtually impossible) but can't rule it in. If the genetic test is positive AND your symptoms suggest coeliac, the next step is a gluten challenge then formal testing. We'll talk you through the options at consultation.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, increasingly called MASLD) is common and often asymptomatic. The key question is: how much liver damage is there? A simple ultrasound finding of "fatty liver" tells you about fat content but not about scarring (fibrosis), which is what matters long-term.
We can assess your overall risk (metabolic factors, BMI, alcohol, diabetes, blood test patterns), do a FIB-4 score and similar non-invasive fibrosis markers, and discuss whether a FibroScan (specialist non-invasive test that quantifies liver scarring) is worth doing. FibroScan isn't available in our clinic but we can refer to a private hepatology service that offers it. Most people with simple fatty liver and no fibrosis do well with lifestyle changes alone.
You generally need a clinical referral to access private endoscopy/colonoscopy. Book a consultation with us, and if endoscopy is clinically appropriate we'll write a referral letter to a private endoscopy service across London (you can choose, or we can suggest based on what's available and convenient for you). Pricing varies considerably between providers depending on procedure, sedation choice and biopsies needed — we'll discuss realistic figures at consultation. Most procedures are day-case.
If your symptoms are red-flag (rectal bleeding over 50, weight loss, change in bowel habit with risk factors), the NHS 2WW pathway is faster and free — you should be seen within 2 weeks of GP referral. Ask your NHS GP. We'd rather get you to the right pathway than charge you for a consultation that delays your investigation.
For established Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis already managed under a gastroenterology consultant: yes, we can prescribe maintenance medications (mesalazine, azathioprine where shared-care arrangements are appropriate, etc.), do monitoring bloods, and coordinate with your specialist team. We work alongside your IBD team rather than replacing them.
What we don't do: initiate biologic therapy (infliximab, adalimumab, ustekinumab and similar), manage acute IBD flares, or take over from your IBD consultant. Those stay with the specialist team. If you've moved to London and need to transfer IBD care, we can help bridge the gap while you set up with a new IBD service.
Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, Cigna and WPA typically cover GP-led gastroenterology consultations and investigations for diagnostic workup of symptoms. Pre-authorisation is usually required. Coverage for endoscopy/colonoscopy varies by policy — many cover diagnostic endoscopy when clinically indicated, fewer cover screening endoscopy. Check your policy or ask us at consultation. We provide detailed receipts and itemised reports for insurance claims.
With your consent, yes — we strongly encourage it. For gastroenterology specifically, your NHS GP needs to know about findings, tests done, and ongoing treatment so your full medical record stays joined-up. For shared-care prescriptions (where the NHS continues long-term medication after we've established treatment), NHS GP awareness is essential.
Only if we've specifically asked you to (for certain blood tests, mainly fasting glucose / lipid panels). For a first gastroenterology consultation, no fasting is required. If you're being seen for reflux specifically, it can sometimes be useful to keep a brief symptom diary in the days before the appointment — what you ate, what you felt, when. Bring any recent test results (NHS or private), medication lists, and any previous specialist letters.
Full pricing for consultations, investigations and reports is published on our price list. We do not charge separate appointment fees on top of quoted prices, and all costs are confirmed before any test, procedure or report is started.
For common GI problems, GP-led first-line care delivers good results without an unnecessary specialist referral. For everything else, we'll get you to the right specialist with the right paperwork.
See full pricing on our price list