ChM (Manchester) • FRCS (England) • MB ChB
Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon & Medicolegal Expert Witness
Director of Surgical Oncology at Cleveland Clinic London. Honorary Consultant Surgeon at UCLH and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Professor Muntzer Mughal is one of the United Kingdom's most experienced Upper Gastrointestinal surgeons, with over 33 years at consultant level. He combines exceptional clinical expertise with extensive experience in NHS governance, service leadership, and academic surgery.
As Director of Surgical Oncology at Cleveland Clinic London and Head of Foregut Surgery, Professor Mughal leads a team of eight surgeons delivering complex oesophagogastric procedures. He holds concurrent honorary appointments at University College London Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, where he assists with complex oesophageal reconstructions.
Professor Mughal's medicolegal practice draws upon nearly two decades of experience preparing expert reports, with particular expertise in clinical negligence matters relating to upper gastrointestinal surgery. His unique combination of tertiary surgical experience, NHS leadership roles, and involvement in national guideline development provides invaluable perspective when assessing standards of care.
He accepts instructions from Claimants, Defendants, and for Joint reports. His reports are fully compliant with Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
Specialist knowledge spanning the full breadth of upper gastrointestinal surgery
Comprehensive expertise in oesophageal conditions and their surgical management.
Expert in conditions affecting the stomach and foregut.
Broad experience in general surgical conditions.
National leader in MDT improvement with 25+ years of experience chairing and reforming both cancer and benign/complex multidisciplinary teams. Pioneer of the benign/complex oesophagogastric MDT — establishing a pan-London meeting in 2012 and founding the Cleveland Clinic London benign/complex OG MDT in 2021, which receives referrals from around the country.
Niche areas of expertise drawing on decades of complex surgical experience
Professor Mughal has particular expertise in the assessment and management of complications arising from upper gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery. His textbook specifically addresses reconstruction for failures and complications of antireflux surgery, bariatric surgery, and oesophagogastric resections.
A niche area requiring highly specialised expertise. Professor Mughal has developed techniques and algorithms for dealing with this rare but serious, life-threatening condition. He regularly assists thoracic and paediatric surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital for complex reconstructions.
Author of the definitive Springer textbook on this subject. Wide experience in oesophageal reconstruction for complex conditions including long-gap oesophageal atresia, caustic injury, and chronic oesophageal leaks. Honorary Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital assisting with paediatric oesophageal reconstructions.
Since 2006, Professor Mughal has been a member of the Royal College of Surgeons Invited Review Panel. He has led multiple external reviews of NHS surgical services at the invitation of Hospital Trusts, providing independent assessment of clinical governance, patient safety, and service quality.
Comprehensive expert witness services for legal professionals
Detailed breach of duty and causation opinions for cases involving upper gastrointestinal surgery, general surgery, and related conditions. Professor Mughal provides clear, well-reasoned analysis drawing on over three decades of clinical experience and his involvement in NHS governance and guideline development.
Expert assessment of injuries and conditions with prognosis for personal injury litigation. Reports provide clear explanation of the medical condition, treatment received, future treatment needs, and long-term outlook.
Preliminary case review to assess merit before proceeding to full report. This service helps legal teams identify the key issues and determine whether there is a case to answer.
Available for oral evidence, conferences with counsel, joint expert meetings, and case conferences. Professor Mughal has extensive experience explaining complex medical issues clearly to non-medical audiences.
Consultations available in person or via video link.
Fees provided on application. Flexible availability for urgent instructions.
Extensive NHS leadership and national roles informing expert opinion on standards of care
2006–Present. Led multiple external reviews of NHS surgical services at the invitation of Hospital Trusts.
1999–2005. First surgeon appointed at inception. Involved in developing technology evaluation processes.
2019–2021. Chief Medical Officer for North Central & North East London Cancer Alliance. Led COVID-19 cancer pathway response.
2005–2011. Member of the Specialist Advisory Committee in General Surgery. Oversaw surgical training standards nationally.
2008–2011. North West Regional Specialty Professional Adviser. Advised on service reconfiguration and consultant mentoring.
2001–2010. Member of the Court of Examiners, Royal College of Surgeons of England and Intercollegiate Specialty Board.
2011–2017. Head of Upper GI Services at UCLH. Successfully turned around and expanded the oesophagogastric cancer service.
2000–Present. Cancer Alliance CMO and MDT lead. 25+ years cancer MDT experience. Published research on virtual MDTs.
Key publications demonstrating expertise in upper GI surgery, MDT work, and specialist areas
Reconstructive Surgery of the Oesophagus and Stomach. Springer, 2025.
A comprehensive textbook on oesophageal and gastric reconstruction, covering the management of failures and complications of antireflux surgery, bariatric surgery, and oesophagogastric resections.
FRCS General Surgery, Section 2: Comprehensive Vivas. JP Medical Ltd, 2024.
Handbook of Gastric and Oesophageal Surgery. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Reorganising specialist cancer surgery for the twenty-first century: a mixed methods evaluation (RESPECT-21). Implement Sci 2016; 11(1):155. View publication →
Discrete-choice experiment to analyse preferences for centralising specialist cancer surgery services. Brit J Surg 2018; DOI: 10.1002/bjs.10761. View publication →
Implementing major system change in specialist cancer surgery: The role of provider networks. J Health Service Research & Policy 2020; DOI: 10.1177/1355819620926553. View publication →
Understanding the effectiveness and quality of virtual cancer multidisciplinary team meetings: a systematic scoping review. BMC Health Services Research 2024; 24:1481. View publication →
The diagnosis and management of gastric cancer. BMJ 2013; 347:f6367. View publication →
Oesophageal cancer: risks, prevention, and diagnosis. BMJ 2019; 366:l4373. View publication →
Assessment of a noninvasive exhaled breath test for the diagnosis of oesophagogastric cancer. JAMA Oncology 2018; DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.0991. View publication →
T staging esophageal tumors with x rays. Optica 2024; 11(4):569-576. View publication →
Scintigraphic assessment of oesophageal motility: What does it show and how reliable is it? Gut 1986; 27:946-953. View publication →
The lower oesophageal sphincter after floppy Nissen fundoplication. Brit J Surg 1987; 74:162-164. View publication →
Oesophageal manometry and pH recording does not predict the bad results of Nissen fundoplication. Brit J Surg 1990; 77:43-45. View publication →
Acquired adult aerodigestive fistula: classification and management. J Gastrointest Surg 2018; DOI: 10.1007/s11605-018-3811-0. View publication →
Commentary on breach of duty, causation and patient safety in surgery
The new NHS escalation pathway gives inpatients a formal right to a second opinion. It will reshape negligence claims where concerns were raised but not acted upon.
Read full article →Both are classified as never events. They are not clinically or medicolegally equivalent — and the distinctions matter when assessing breach of duty and causation.
Read full article →When severe inflammation obscures the biliary anatomy, is subtotal cholecystectomy a departure from accepted surgical practice, or sound defensive surgery?
Read full article →Professor Mughal's reports are exceptionally clear and well-structured. His ability to explain complex surgical issues in accessible terms has been invaluable in presenting our cases to clients and counsel.
We have instructed Professor Mughal on numerous upper GI cases. His turnaround times are reliable, and his reports consistently address all the key issues with appropriate supporting literature and meticulous analysis.
His combination of clinical expertise and understanding of NHS governance makes Professor Mughal particularly effective at identifying where standards of care may have fallen short and explaining the implications.
Professor Mughal is responsive and accommodating with urgent instructions. His reports are Part 35 compliant, clearly reasoned, and require minimal clarification from opposing counsel.
Common questions from instructing solicitors
Professor Mughal accepts instructions in clinical negligence, personal injury, and medicolegal cases involving upper gastrointestinal surgery — including oesophageal, gastric, and foregut conditions. He also provides expert opinion on general surgical matters, complications of bariatric surgery, and multidisciplinary team processes.
Standard reports are typically completed within 4–6 weeks of receiving complete medical records. Urgent instructions can be accommodated where possible — please discuss timescales with Natalie Cole when making your enquiry.
Yes. Professor Mughal is experienced in providing oral testimony at trial and is available for conferences with counsel, joint expert discussions under CPR Part 35.12, and court attendance. He has given evidence in both High Court and County Court proceedings.
Yes. Professor Mughal accepts instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors, as well as single joint expert appointments. All reports are prepared in compliance with CPR Part 35 and the expert's overriding duty to the court.
Initial enquiries should be directed to Natalie Cole using the contact form below, by email, or by telephone. Please provide a brief summary of the case, the specialty required, and any relevant deadlines. A fee estimate will be provided before formal instruction.
Contact Professor Mughal's secretary to discuss your case or request a fee estimate
For all medicolegal enquiries, please contact Professor Mughal's secretary, Natalie Cole, who will be happy to assist with instructions, fee estimates, and availability.
Natalie Cole
Central London (Harley Street area)
Video consultations available
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Affiliation: Professor Mughal is a member of Themis Medicolegal Associates, an independent group of Medicolegal Experts specialising in General and Gastrointestinal Surgery.
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