Specialist Spotlight: Dr Benjamin Mullish – A Day in the Life of a Consultant Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist

Dr Benjamin Mullish is a consultant in hepatology and gastroenterology at Welbeck, with a specialist focus on fatty liver disease, chronic liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and Clostridioides difficile infections.

We sat down with him to learn about what a normal day in Welbeck’s Digestive Health centre looks like, how tests and treatments have developed, and why patients should come to Welbeck.

What drew you to specialise in hepatology and gastroenterology?

‘A member of my family was unwell with gut and liver disease when I was growing up, and I saw the impact it had on them. I also did jobs in this area of medicine soon after qualifying as a doctor, and I enjoyed it as a specialty.’

What inspired you to come and work with Welbeck?

‘I was inspired by seeing how many leading consultants and other specialists who I respect and admire work at Welbeck. I was impressed at how much thought had been given to designing the very patient-centric services, including a friendly and welcoming environment, and patients being able to have tests at times convenient to them (even at home in some cases!).’

What does a normal day at Welbeck look like for you?

‘Most of my time at Welbeck London is spent on the 7th floor, in the Digestive Health centre. I spend my days seeing patients for consultations, undertaking FibroScan, and a lot of other things. Having this ‘hub’ in Welbeck allows me to interact with other colleagues from across disciplines – ranging from other gut and liver specialists to dietitians to nurses to radiologists – to discuss patients and advance their care.’

What kind of patient do you see?

‘I see patients with a range of gut and liver problems, but most who come and see me are coming because of a liver problem. Sometimes these patients are seeing me for the first time – with an abnormal liver scan or blood test – and my job is to get to the bottom of what’s causing this and to establish if they have any damage to their liver. Other patients are those with an established liver problem, and I explore the approaches we can try to stop it in its tracks and prevent the condition from advancing.’

How have you seen diagnostics and treatments advance over the years?

‘When I qualified, and earlier in my career, we were quite often reliant on liver biopsy as a central pillar in helping to diagnose and follow up on patients with liver problems. While liver biopsy still has an important place in caring for liver patients, over the past few years in particular, we have seen great advancements in non-invasive approaches – ranging from blood tests like the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) test to imaging-based techniques like FibroScan – which have changed the field, giving quicker answers to our patients and putting them through less of an ordeal in the process.

Regarding therapies, the past 15 years or so have been marked by phenomenal progress. Hepatitis C treatment previously required treatment with potentially nasty side effects and only limited effectiveness; we now have tablet treatment with few side effects that can knock the virus out within a few weeks. Similarly, metabolic liver disease/fatty liver disease is an area where we have gone from very limited effective medications to a rapidly growing armoury of effective treatments.’

How have your patients' lives been impacted by your work?

‘For lots of patients who see me, we might be able to say that they don’t have significant liver disease at all, or they may have a mild problem that we can keep at bay with lifestyle changes or simple medication accompanied by monitoring, and obviously that comes as a great relief to patients. 

Sometimes, of course, we do find more significant liver problems. As a Welbeck patient, being able to get a rapid diagnosis, knowing that you can get fast access to me as well as other specialists to discuss the condition, and that all the diagnostics and other help they need is all in one place, is a huge comfort. 

In some cases, we can give a treatment that is a complete cure – or at least significantly improves a patient’s liver function – and of course that improves how a patient feels as well as their quality of life.’

Why should patients come to Welbeck for care?

‘Welbeck is very focused on all aspects of the patient journey – a friendly and welcoming environment, rapid access to leading specialists who are at the forefront of their specialty, access to cutting-edge diagnostics, and the full range of therapies.’

Treatment at Welbeck

Dr Benjamin Mullish and Welbeck’s wider team of digestive health specialists diagnose and treat a wide range of symptoms and conditions in state-of-the-art facilities, with access to the latest tests and treatments. All care is tailored towards the individual, taking into account your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and personal needs.

To arrange an appointment, contact our dedicated Digestive Health centre today. We offer same- and next-day appointments wherever possible, so you can access the care you need when you need it.