Mr Paul Ballard

Mr Paul Ballard is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Urogynaecologist at Woodlands Hospital in Darlington. He sees self-pay and insured patients. He graduated from The University of Leeds Medical School in 1988. He then entered a 10 year program of training, including 2 years in research. This led to a Master's degree and numerous publications in medical journals, before he became a consultant in 2000. He is now a Consultant Obstetrician, Urogynaecologist and Complex Pelvic Floor Surgeon, and leads in this area across both James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and Friarage Hospital, Northallerton. Mr Ballard has tirelessly strived to develop a modern, comprehensive and patient-centred service. He has an easy manner that allows patients to feel relaxed and enter into often difficult and embarrassing discussions, which are inevitably very frequent in the specialties of gynaecology and urinary continence treatment. A patient who is relaxed is more able to convey the difficulties she is facing and this can result in a more detailed and fruitful consultation, and therefore a more patient-specific treatment programme. Mr Ballard ensures patients are provided with all the information they require,verbal and written, and adequate time to consider their treatment options, both non-surgical as well as surgical. Patients are given realistic expectations for treatment outcomes to enable them to make a personal choice as to which treatment option suits their particular needs at that time. He is a fervent believer in patient choice and considers that his role is to inform and individualise risk and advice, but ultimately the patient should be making the decision on what treatment they feel themselves, is most appropriate. Mr Ballard will also discuss the many fringe treatment options that are available, including their benefits and drawbacks. He has an emphasis on minimal access surgery seeking to improve patients’ post-operative pathway and enabling them to recover more quickly He has trained many junior doctors over the years. As a consultant for more than 20 years, he has seen innumerable clinical scenarios and developed a broad armementarium of surgical skills and procedures, offering both simple low-risk procedures and more complex procedures.

Urogynaecology - prolapse and female urinary issues Menopause treatment