Mr Chris Johnston

MBBS BSc(Hons) PhD FRCS FRCP · Consultant Transplant & General Surgeon

Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh · Spire Murrayfield · Spire Shawfair Park

Why this matters to you

Choosing a surgeon is largely a question of trust, and trust is easier to place when you know what someone actually does all week.

In addition to general surgery, my main NHS practice revolves around liver transplantation at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh — regular, technically demanding abdominal surgery for some of the most unwell patients in Scotland.

That is the background I bring to a routine gallbladder operation. For most patients this simply means an additional margin of safety behind a straightforward procedure, but it can make a substantial difference for the minority whose anatomy is challenging or whose gallbladder is badly inflamed.

Clinical practice

In private practice at Spire Murrayfield and Spire Shawfair Park Hospitals, I see and treat:

  • Gallstones and gallbladder disease, including complex gallstone-related problems and post-cholecystectomy issues
  • Bile duct stones, jaundice and biliary obstruction — including ERCP, which I perform on a weekly basis (with experience of more than 1,500 procedures)
  • Hernia repair
  • Second opinions on gallstone problems, scans and previous surgical advice

All consultations and operations are consultant-delivered. There are no trainees or other surgeons involved in private care, and I undertake all follow-up personally.

Training and qualifications

  • BSc(Hons), MBBS — Imperial College London (2001–2007)
  • MRCS, Royal College of Surgeons (2008)
  • MRCP, Royal College of Physicians (2010)
  • PhD (Therapeutic Immunology) — University of Edinburgh (2012–2015), as a Wellcome Trust ECAT Clinical Fellow
  • Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Specialty Registrar in General Surgery — University of Edinburgh & NHS Lothian (2015–2020)
  • FRCS, Royal College of Surgeons (2019)
  • FRCP, Royal College of Physicians (2025)
  • Consultant Transplant and General Surgeon, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, since 2020

NHS and national leadership

  • Clinical Lead, Edinburgh National Organ Retrieval Service
  • Chair, UK NORS Clinical Leads' Forum
  • Deputy Chair, NHSBT Retrieval Advisory Group
  • Lead Educational Supervisor for the Edinburgh Transplant Surgery Fellowship

Surgeons are asked to lead retrieval services and train other surgeons by their peers, not by application — which is perhaps the most honest measure of standing among colleagues.

Teaching and academic roles

  • Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh
  • Course Director, Edinburgh NRP Masterclass and NHSBT Multiorgan Retrieval Masterclass
  • Peer reviewer for journals including the British Journal of Surgery, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Journal of Experimental Medicine and Lancet Infectious Diseases

Research and awards

Awards include:

  • Hunterian Lectureship, Royal College of Surgeons of England (2017)
  • Sir Roy Calne Award, British Transplantation Society (2018)
  • Professor Kenneth Fearon Memorial Medal, University of Edinburgh (2018)
  • Syme Medal, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (2016)
  • Chiene Medal, University of Edinburgh (2015)
  • Ker Memorial Prize, Edinburgh Infectious Diseases (2016)
  • Travelling fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, AUGIS and Operation Hernia

Full publication list: ORCID 0000-0001-9935-7365.

What patients say

Rated 4.98/5 from more than 149 verified patient reviews, and recipient of the Doctify Outstanding Patient Experience award for 2025 and 2026.

Beyond the operating theatre

Belfast, then London for medical school, then Edinburgh for surgical training — with spells as a greenkeeper, a sushi delivery driver, a magistrate, and security operations manager at Wimbledon along the way. Edinburgh was supposed to be temporary; but has been home now for nearly twenty years.

Find me elsewhere

Practical details

  • GMC registration: 6163920
  • Fee-assured with Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and Cigna
  • Consultations at Spire Murrayfield and Spire Shawfair Park, or by video
  • Secretary: 0131 210 0350, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm

Considering surgery, or want a second opinion?

Book a consultation online, or call 0131 210 0350.