About
About Dr Stephen Watson
General and laparoscopic surgeon practising in Western Australia since 1999 — specialist general surgeon with a focused hernia practice.
Background and training
Dr Stephen Watson is a specialist general surgeon based in South Perth, Western Australia. He completed his medical degree (MBBS) and his surgical training in Australia, and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) — the qualification that underpins his AHPRA registration as a Specialist in General Surgery. He has practised in Western Australia since 1999.
Dr Watson's practice has two clinical focuses. The first is hernia surgery — inguinal, umbilical, incisional, hiatus, and femoral hernia repair — for which this site (wahernia.com.au) is the dedicated home. The second is bariatric and weight-loss surgery, covered on his existing site, lapsurgery.com.au. The two are run out of the same South Perth rooms and the patient experience is the same regardless of which procedure brings you in.
Registration and memberships
- AHPRA — Specialist Registration in General Surgery. Dr Watson is registered with the Medical Board of Australia as a Specialist in the recognised specialty of General Surgery. His registration can be confirmed at any time on the AHPRA online register.
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) — the standard surgical fellowship in Australia and New Zealand, confirming completion of accredited surgical training and ongoing professional development.
- Member of the Australian and New Zealand Hernia Society — a professional society for surgeons with a focused hernia practice. Membership is uncommon among Australian general surgeons and signals an ongoing commitment to staying current with hernia surgical practice. The society runs continuing-education meetings, peer review, and access to the broader international hernia community.
The ANZ Hernia Society membership in particular signals an ongoing commitment to staying current with hernia surgical practice. The field has moved significantly in the last decade — in mesh technology, laparoscopic techniques, and the management of complex and recurrent hernias — and the society is the right place to stay across those developments.
Hospital affiliation
Dr Watson holds operating rights at Hollywood Private Hospital in Nedlands. Hollywood is a major Perth private hospital with a full range of surgical, anaesthetic, and recovery services suited to elective hernia repair and revision surgery.
Hollywood is covered by all major Australian private health funds for hernia repair. The rooms can confirm cover and any expected out-of-pocket cost ahead of your operation.
Approach to patient care
Dr Watson's practice is run as a single-surgeon clinic. He personally sees patients at consultation, performs the surgery, and reviews patients after the operation. The same surgeon is involved at every stage — not a rotating team. For patients this means consistent communication, a clear understanding of the surgical plan, and a single point of contact through recovery.
Decisions about whether to operate, how to operate, and when to operate are made together with each patient after a full discussion of the options, expected recovery, and realistic risks. Where non-surgical management is reasonable — for example, a small asymptomatic hernia in a patient with significant medical reasons not to operate — Dr Watson will say so.
The rooms work with patients across Perth metro, regional Western Australia (Mandurah, Rockingham, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Port Hedland, Karratha), and statewide via telehealth.
Bariatric and weight-loss surgery
Dr Watson's bariatric practice — gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, revisional bariatric surgery — is covered on his existing site, lapsurgery.com.au. For patients who have had bariatric surgery and developed reflux, Dr Watson's combined hernia and bariatric experience is uniquely suited to your situation — see the post-bariatric reflux page for more.
Considering a consultation with Dr Watson?
A current GP referral is required for Medicare rebates. Consultations are available in person at South Perth, at regional WA visits, or by telehealth from anywhere in the state.