I had the misfortune to come under his “care” several years ago. He made me feel like a fool and was arrogant and unsympathetic. Nasty bully. I removed myself from his care and luckily found a wonderful doctor at the Western General instead.

Submitted Sept. 8, 2023

I was nurse who worked in Theatres for many years and this man was an opinionated bully of the very worst kind. His behaviour led in part to my earlier than anticipated retiral.

Submitted July 24, 2023

Like the person below who had an operation that didn’t work, I too went through almost identical problems.
Nothing but fluids for two weeks post op left me constipated and I too tore the so called repair when I was eventually able to pass a stool.This was identified by a second surgeon who found the two ends of the so called repair which clearly showed the two ends of the stitched area.
Once he realised his surgery had do nothing to help,he wanted nothing more to do with me,certainly didn’t offer a colostomy to help.
On his PostOp ward round I could hear him saying the same to many of the patients who he failed to help.
I too ,for whatever reason was told that a second operation to remove some polyps would only be done with a spinal block,which puzzled the anaesthetist and left me so embarrassed and humiliated as the entire theatre staff watched as I lay on my front with my bare bottom in the air for all to see.
Nasty nasty man ,I’ve never got over the incident and will never forget.
Was he hoping I would not go for more surgery incase it became apparent that his ,let’s not forget,technique was an absolute failure and he wouldn’t admit it.?
Probably.No wonder he went from Bristol to Scotland to Australia ,Malta etc.

Submitted Nov. 21, 2022

After much consideration I also would like to leave a review of this surgeon.

I was told that he was a very revered surgeon, and so gave a lot of weight to his opinion. In retrospect, the advice he gave me was not good, and led to me put aside my own instincts and choose to have a very damaging surgery -though he himself did not perform the surgery. It is normal in the UK that distinguished older surgeons may be lofty, but in retrospect, this surgeon was so lordly I think it impeded communication which is can be unsafe. Eventually I was referred to a Stoma nurse to discuss being fitted with a colostomy bag as a result of the surgery, who she had dealt with quite a number of this surgeon‘s patients, people fitted with stomas as a result of a type of surgery he did

I don’t doubt there are also very many people he helped, people who got their lives back and so on. But I think his approach to patients belongs in the past, and I was unfortunate to come across him

Submitted Sept. 20, 2021

Mr Bartolo gave me back my life. I was willing to travel the world to find the best surgeon I could to perform my J-pouch operation, but lo and behold he was working in my home town of Edinburgh. I'm sure there are a few horror stories of how things went wrong for a few very unfortunate patients, and speaking to Mr Bartolo I know some of those haunted him, but statistically he is one of the most successful and revered surgeons in the world and no surgeon has a 100% success rate. I found him an incredibly caring man almost devoid of the ego that makes some consultants intolerable. I can only take my hat off to a man who dedicated his life to medicine and worked so many years diligently for the NHS when he could have spent his entire time in private health care. Thanks Mr B. My operation was 21 years ago now and i'm still here to tell the tale.

Submitted Aug. 20, 2019

Bit late in commenting but fab surgeon. Operated on me in 2003, complete bowel removal with no colostomy & full control post op. Thank you DB - everything still works well!

Submitted March 9, 2019

I felt like I was the failure when an operation he performed didn't work.He had the strange idea of leaving me on fluids only for two weeks whilst I became more and more constipated only for the first stool when I could eventually pass one tore the repair apart which was identified by another surgeon.A temporary colostomy would have been a much better idea,but he was the type of person who knew it all and wouldn't consider anything others suggested.
He decided that a second operation he carried out was only to be done with a spinal block,refused to listen to mine and the anaesthetists views.I found the operation very humiliating as private parts were exposed to the whole theatre staff.
I felt bullied by the man and wondered if all he wanted were enough successes to write a paper on.Then he abandoned me.
I'm not sure I can ever forgive the man.

Submitted Oct. 22, 2017

This man is a true gentleman, I first meet him in 1995 when I had given up hope that I would ever be myself again . He gave me my life back and continue with my treatment and care for many year before he moved to Australia. I know not all operation are successful as was my last one with Mr Bartolo before he went to Australia, but he tried everything possible and that is important to me. Unfortunately I was transferred to Glasgow to a consultant who I never see even though I could do with seeing him. I only wish it was Mr Bartolo who knows me.
This man has a wealth of knowledge and is easy to talk to and gives good advice, he will always do his best to help. Even know he is a top man in bowel surgery he will not dismiss your concerns.

Submitted Oct. 6, 2017

At best a charlatan. At worst a murderer. Refused a scan when patient suffered inexplicable deterioration in existing colo-rectal problem. Ignored vomiting of bloody mucus. Referred only to dieticians and psychologists. Did it not occur to him that anxiety was caused by deterioration in condition rather than other way round? It has since been found problem was caused by a tumour. Failure to provide adequate care just because the case did not appear to fit his miracle cure and self promotion specialism.

Submitted July 2, 2017

Mr.Bartolo operated on me in 1998. It was a complete success. A new operation which involved taking muscle out of leg to insert in are talking sphincter. He gave me back quality in my life.the operation he performed enabled me to still work full time in nursing. I will always be in his debt. His after care was superb.. Thanks you Mr.Bartolo.

Submitted Sept. 23, 2016