Consultants

Mr Timothy J Havard

Tim Havard has been a Consultant General Surgeon in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital since 1999. Born in Cardiff into a very medical family (father, mother, grandfather and uncle) he displayed a lamentable lack of imagination in becoming the third generation to train at the Welsh National School of Medicine, qualifying in 1988. His postgraduate surgical training was completed in South Wales and Southampton. In 1999 he obtained an MD after a period of research into the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori.

General Surgery

Since his appointment he has developed a busy practice in emergency and elective General Surgery. This has included the investigation of abdominal pain, dyspepsia (indigestion) and rectal bleeding. This involves regular sessions in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. He routinely performs the surgical treatment of a wide range of elective conditions including gallstones, groin and abdominal hernias, haemorrhoids and benign and malignant skin lesions.

Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgery

Within the broad remit of General Surgery Tim has particular expertise in cancer of the oesophagus and stomach having treated over 630 patients with the condition. Of these 45% of the patients came from within the catchment area of the Royal Glamorgan and 55% of the cases were referred from elsewhere. This disease remains particularly challenging to treat and is the only common cancer that is currently increasing in incidence.

Laparoscopic Surgery

A further particular interest is the treatment of benign Upper GI conditions such as gallstones and reflux (heartburn) by laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. Gallstones are a particularly frequent cause of abdominal pain and Tim does approximately 100 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) operations per year.

Tim is committed to undergraduate and postgraduate training. He is an Honorary Clinical Tutor in the University of Cardiff Medical School and Regional Co-ordinator for Higher Surgical Training in South East Wales. He sits on the all Wales steering group for Upper GI cancer and has been the Honorary Secretary of the Welsh Surgical Society since 2004.

Mr Alan Woodward

Alan Woodward has been a consultant general surgeon for 13 years and is based at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant. His undergraduate training was at the Welsh National School of Medicine and his postgraduate training was undertaken in Wales, Liverpool and the United States. It was in the United States where he worked on his thesis on gastrointestinal motility for the degree of Master of Surgery.

General Surgery

Mr Kelvin Gomez

Kelvin Gomez is a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon with a special interest in non-surgical breast augmentation and body sculpting. He is currently one of very few plastic surgeons in the United Kingdom, trained in using MACROLANE® to re-create breast contours and sculpt a new desirable body shape.

He graduated from the University of Cardiff and trained on the All-Wales Higher Surgical Programme, before undertaking a Fellowship at the Welsh Burns and Plastics Surgery Unit in Morriston. His post-graduate doctorate was undertaken at the Cardiff Academic Breast Unit and involved research into molecular markers and their early detection in breast cancer patients. Along with his original papers, he also presented data on behalf of the ALMANAC Trialists Group at both national and international meetings during his period of research.

Kelvin's general surgical interests include Breast Cancer Surgery, Therapeutic Mammoplasty, Breast Reductions, and Nipple Reconstructions. Special cosmetic interests include Non-Surgical Breast Augmentation, Breast and Body Sculpting, Male Chest and Calf Enhancement and Facial Fillers.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kelvin was educated in Malaysia, Australia and the United Kingdom, and had a very cosmopolitan upbringing, but it is in Cardiff, and specifically Penarth, that he has finally laid down some roots. He is employed by the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust and is based in Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny.

Mr Sumit Goyal

Sumit Goyal is a Consultant Surgeon with special interest in all aspects of Breast Diseases including oncoplastic breast surgery. Sumit trained in Cardiff Breast Unit and was appointed a Consultant in Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust in 2003 and is currently the Lead Clinician for Cardiff Breast Services.

Sumit is committed to provide the highest level of care in breast diseases and manages over 100 breast cancers every year. In addition to his NHS work, he is a part of the Breast Screening programme of Wales. He keeps abreast with the latest technological developments and has been a part of major international trials in breast cancer. He can offer surgical treatment for benign and malignant breast conditions, reconstructive surgery and sentinel node biopsy. In fact he is a tutor on the New Start Programme, the Department of Health national training programme for sentinel node biopsy. Sumit is also a honorary lecturer in Cardiff Medical School and is involved in teaching students, nurses and young surgeons.

Sumit works in close association with Dr Philippa Young, Consultant Radiologist with a special interest in breast radiology and provides a Rapid Access Breast Clinic for rapid and accurate assessment and diagnosis of breast problems as a one stop clinic in a multi-disciplinary set-up. 

Mr Xavier Escofet

Mr. Xavier Escofet is a Consultant General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon. Born in Barcelona (Spain) in 1966, he graduated in 1991 and two years later moved to UK where he completed his specialist training as a General, Upper GI and Laparoscopic surgeon.

Xavier obtained the Welsh Surgical Society’s Traveling Fellowship Award and completed a Fellowship in Advanced Gastric Cancer Management at The National Cancer Center in Tokyo (Japan). He then started his consultancy working at University Hospital of Wales (Cardiff) and recently joined Cwm Taf Local Health Board where his practice is located both at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital (Llantrisant) and Prince Charles Hospital (Merthyr Tydfil).

Mr Escofet's main interest is minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic or keyhole surgery) to treat a wide variety of conditions. He also performs both upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy which offers an open access endoscopy service in addition to specialist consultation for upper GI disorders.

His main clinical practice includes the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as indigestion, heartburn, dyspepsia, dysphagia (discomfort when swallowing), abdominal pain, anaemia, rectal bleeding and the majority of gastroenterological complaints.

Mr. Escofet specialises in:

• Endoscopy and Interventional Endoscopic GI procedures 
• Laparoscopy Removal of Gallbladder (cholecystectomy) and for gallstones and bile duct stones 
• Gastro - Oesophageal Reflux Disease: Laparoscopic antireflux surgery (Funduplication) and benign oesophageal conditions 
• Hiatus Hernia 
• General Laparoscopic Procedures 
• Groin and abdominal wall hernia 
• Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer / Tumours

His professional memberships include the Association of Upper GI Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Welsh Surgical Society