About
About Dr Stephen Watson
General and laparoscopic surgeon practising in Western Australia since 1999, with a special interest in hernia repair.
Background and training
Dr Stephen Watson is a 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). He has practised general and laparoscopic surgery 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.
Professional memberships
- 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 subspecialty society for surgeons with a clinical and academic interest in hernia repair. Membership is by application and is uncommon among general surgeons. 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 and robotic techniques, and the management of complex and recurrent hernias — and the society is the right place to stay across those developments.
Hospital affiliations
Dr Watson holds operating rights at the following Perth private hospitals:
- Hollywood Private Hospital, Nedlands
- St John of God Murdoch Hospital, Murdoch
- St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Subiaco
- The Mount Hospital, Perth CBD
- Bethesda Hospital, Claremont
The choice of hospital for an individual operation depends on which hospital your health fund covers, where theatre time is most easily scheduled, and the type of procedure planned. Dr Watson will discuss the options at consultation.
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.