Mr Alan Li
Consultant General Surgeon
MB ChB, FRCS (Eng), FRCS(Gen Surg)
All self-pay new patient consultations are free including weight loss surgery.
I was educated in Oxford and qualified in 1990 after graduating from the University of Bristol Medical School. My early training took me to the University of Manchester as a Lecturer and to Leeds as the University Tutor in Surgery where I was the Research Fellow for the Medical Research Council and the Royal College of Surgeons. Having completed my training in Yorkshire and in Scotland, I obtained a travelling fellowship to the National Cancer Centre Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, to refine my surgical techniques in gastric cancer surgery.
This was followed by a prestigious one year position in 2006 as the Senior Clinical Fellow at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia where I developed my practice in pioneering thoracosopic and laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery for oesophageal and gastric cancer, reflux and hiatus hernia surgery, as well as for other surgical conditions. I have since trained other surgeons in Manchester and the North West in these techniques.
I became a Consultant Surgeon at Whiston and St Helen’s NHS Trust upon my return to the UK in Feb 2007 with a specialist interest in keyhole surgery. I then joined the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) as an Upper Gastro-Intestinal, Bariatric and Laparoscopic Surgeon later in 2007 whilst still holding an honorary contract in Merseyside. In over a decade, I became the Senior and Lead of the Oesophago-Gastric (OG) Unit at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and oversaw a 10-fold increase in the number of stomach and oesophagus cancer operations, the development of a minimally invasive (keyhole) oesophago-gastric cancer surgery service and the delivery of a comprehensive NHS bariatric service.
After 33 years in the NHS and over 17 years of consultant experience, I recently retired from Salford Royal Hospital as a senior oesophago-gastric and bariatric surgeon but remain dedicated to NHS patients and continue to deliver expert surgery to the most challenging bariatric and weight loss patients in the North West. I retain honorary NHS contracts in the region and continue to operate by invitation in the most difficult cases. Having performed over 6,000 bariatric procedures, I am undoubtedly the most experienced weight loss surgeon in Manchester.
I continue to provide training and mentorship to many other surgeons and senior clinical fellows and remain an invited guest lecturer around the world at many cross-specialty conferences including surgery, gastroenterology and radiology. I am also the Surgical Director of a medical innovation charitable foundation trust (Minnova). My more recent innovations include minimal scar weight loss surgery. Ultimately, I believe in an individualised, tailored and holistic approach to patient care and that trust, good communication, empathy, experience and expertise are the foundation to good outcomes.
Treatment information
Some of the principal treatments carried out by Mr Alan Li at Spire include:
General surgery
- Gallbladder / gallstone removal (cholecystectomy)
- Gastroscopy
- Hernia surgery
- LINX system
Bariatrics
- Gastric balloon (weight loss balloon)
- Gastric band surgery
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy)
Other treatments
- Achalasia
- Barrett's oesphagus
- Bowel surgery
- Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
- Fundoplication
- Minimal scar gastric sleeve (SILS)
- Reflux treatment
- Revision surgery
- Stomach and oesophagus cancer
Get in touch
Important information about Covid-19 tests
COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire Manchester Hospital.
Additional information
Clinical interests
Gallstone surgery
Gastrointestinal surgery
General surgery
Hernia repair surgery
Laparoscopic surgery
Obesity
Upper gastrointestinal cancer
Weight loss surgery
Bariatric, obesity and weight loss surgery - Special Clinical Interests: Gastric sleeve, bypass, band and balloon; Acid reflux, Hiatus hernia, LINX treatment for acid reflux, Achalasia; Gallbladder disease, Oesophageal and gastric disorders, Metabolic treatment.
Qualification and professional memberships
Research and publications
- Barrett’s oesophagus
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux
- Laparoscopic surgery
- Obesity surgery
- Upper GI cancer
Current NHS posts
Continues to deliver bariatric and weight loss surgery to NHS patients from the North West and Yorkshire.
Holds honorary NHS contracts in the region.
Personal profile
I am a retired rugby player (frustrated scrum half/winger) with ongoing interests in mountain biking, climbing, winter mountaineering, windsurfing and tennis. I also have more sedate interests as a violinist, pianist and calligrapher. However, my passion is to manage my sheep, pig, duck and chicken farm and to develop a fully self-sufficient and self-sustainable life. Any spare time is spent herding my animals (or children!) and up cycling absolutely anything into farm buildings for an ever-expanding flock!
Contact information
| Telephone | 0161 447 6700 |
| Private secretary | Claire Jenkinson |
| Private secretary telephone | 07851 980 363 |
| Private secretary email | claire@medsecs.co.uk |