
Dr Maxton Pitcher
Consultant Gastroenterologist
- Available from
- London
About Maxton Pitcher
Dr Max Pitcher is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Welbeck and a Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Northwick Park and St Mark’s Hospitals.
He was awarded his BA degree in Medical Sciences at University of Cambridge in 1985 and continued his postgraduate medical studies at The John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, before qualifying as a Doctor in 1988. He trained at Guy’s Hospital, London, The Radcliffe Hospitals, Oxford and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where he was Medical Registrar.
He was granted a National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s disease (NACC) Research award in 1993 to join the Medical Research Council Dunn Clinical Nutrition Centre, Cambridge. His MD Thesis entitled “Sulphate-reducing bacteria, sulphur metabolism and ulcerative colitis” was commended in 1996 by the University of Cambridge.
He was Senior Registrar in Gastroenterology at The John Radcliffe Hospital until 1998 when he was appointed as Consultant Gastroenterologist and Physician at St Mark’s and Northwick Hospitals, Harrow. He was elected as Chairman of Medicine at St Mark’s by his peers in 2007 and was appointed Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at The Clementine Churchill Hospital in 2010 for five years. He is an active member of chamber ensembles and orchestras in his native Hertfordshire, London and the South-East, including Concertmaster of the European Doctors Orchestra.
Dr Pitcher trained in Medical Sciences at the University of Cambridge and later qualified from the University of Oxford in 1988. He completed a Doctorate of Medicine at the University of Cambridge in 1996. He was elected as Chairman of Medicine at St Mark’s by his colleagues in 2007 and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at BMI The Clementine Churchill Hospital in 2010.
He is an accomplished classical violinist and Concertmaster of the European Doctors Orchestra. He has featured on the Sky News Kay Burley Show and his musical videos of live performance to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have been seen by hundreds of thousands on-line all over the world.
Expertise
- Abdominal Pain
- Indigestion
- Rectal Bleeding
- Acid Reflux
- Constipation and Diarrhoea
- Bowel Cancer
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Coeliac Disease
- Achalasia of the Cardia
- Cancer of Oesophagus
- Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease
- Peptic Ulcer
- Functional Dyspepsia
- Eosinophilic Oesophagitis
- Barrett's Oesophagus
- Colonic Polyps
- Oesophageal Dilatation
- Colonoscopy
- and Polypectomy
Overview
- Age of patients seen
- 18+
- Qualifications
MA
MD
BMBCh
FRCP
- Languages spoken
- English
- Online profiles
- Research highlights
Notable Publications:
Ghosh S, et al. Natalizumab for active Crohn’s disease. NEJM 2003;348(1):24-33. (Pitcher MCL as member of International Antegren Study Group).
Thoua M, Murray CD, Winchester WJ, Roy AJ, Pitcher MC, Kamm MA, Emmanuel AV. Amitriptyline modifies the visceral hypersensitivity response to acute stress in irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2008, Dec 12 (epub ahead of print)
…HJW Thomas, JP Teare, AL Hart, MCL Pitcher. …Differences in inflammatory bowel disease phenotype between South Asians and Northern Europeans living in NW London, UK. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2011
TEXTBOOK Clinical Guide to Gastroenterology – edited by Yang Chen & Maxton Pitcher. Wiley Blackwell 2019.
- Professional memberships
British Society of Gastroenterology
- Certifications and Awards
1988 John Pearce Memorial Prize in Surgery, University of Oxford
1993 National Association for Colitis & Crohn’s disease research award
1996 British Digestive Foundation Travelling Fellowship
1996 Ralph Noble MD Dissertation Prize, University of Cambridge
2000 Digestive Diseases Foundation Research Award
Consultations and services
- Self-pay available from £275
- Health insurance
- Self-pay available from £210
- Health insurance
Insurers covered


- +4 more
- Allianz Partners
- Cigna International
- Healix
- Henner
Tests & treatments
Conditions & symptoms
Locations
Loading
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but only for certain services. Some consultations, assessments, and treatments can be booked directly, while others require a GP or specialist referral. Please check the relevant service page for guidance, and contact the centre if you’re unsure.
We aim to offer appointments as quickly as possible, and many services have same-day or next-day availability. Waiting times vary depending on the appointment type, specialty, and consultant availability, but our team will always offer the earliest suitable appointment.
Yes. You can arrange an appointment for a family member, or someone you care for, just let us know when you get in touch. We’ll need their details and consent to complete the booking, unless you're their legal guardian or have power of attorney.
Your first consultation includes a detailed discussion of your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle factors, followed by a thorough examination. It’s helpful if you can bring the results of any previous investigations with you, as well as a list of your current medications. Come with a comfortably full bladder so you can provide a urine sample if requested.