BMed (Hons), BAppSci FRACP

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Staff Specialist, Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH)

Visiting Medical Officer, The Tweed Hospital

Adjunct Research Fellow, The Menzies Institute Griffith University

Dr Ben Allen is a Gastroenterologist and performs diagnostic and interventional gastroscopy, colonoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound, with further accreditation in small bowel capsule endoscopy.

Dr Allen graduated with honours from the University of Newcastle in 2003 and then undertook postgraduate training in Victoria and New South Wales, working at The Geelong Hospital, The Western Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. He gained his fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) in 2010.

In 2011 he undertook an international fellowship in advanced endoscopy at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) specialising in endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic management of advanced Barrett's oesophagus under the tutelage of Dr Ian Penman.

Upon returning to Australia in 2012, Dr Allen commenced public and private practice in Geelong and was appointed a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University.

In 2015, he relocated to the Gold Coast. Dr Allen works in the public and private sectors, caring for patients with a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders. Particular interests include endoscopic ultrasound, functional gut disorders and inflammatory bowel disease.

For bookings or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact our principal rooms located in the Medical Centre at John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Allen is available for:

Procedures at:

• John Flynn Hospital
• Tweed Day Surgery
• Robina Private Hospital
• The Tweed Hospital

Consultations:

• Suite 3G, John Flynn Medical Centre
• via phone (as required)

BAppSc (MedSc) Hons, MBBS, FRACP

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Staff Specialist Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH)

After growing up in Ballina on Northern Rivers NSW, Aiden moved to Queensland to attend university, completing a Bachelor of Science (Medical Science) with Honours at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and subsequent medical training at Griffith University. He started his advanced training in Gastroenterology at the Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), moving to the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) for his second year. His fellowship year was at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital with a strong focus on quality in endoscopy and colonoscopy, and further training in large colonic polyp resections (Endoscopic Mucosal Resection, EMR).

Aiden continues to be actively involved with teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with an appointment at the University of Queensland and Griffith University as a Senior Lecturer. Currently, he sits on the committee of the Gastroenterology Society of Queensland (GESQ), a Clinical Supervisor of Basic and Advanced Trainees for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and is an active member of the Basic Physician Training Committee at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Aside from General Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aiden has special interests in:

• High quality diagnostic endoscopy and colonoscopy;
• Colonoscopy and colorectal cancer screening;
• Large colonic polyp resections and polyposis;
• Education and training of medical students, residents and registrars.

Aiden performs diagnostic gastroscopy and colonoscopy including endoscopic mucosal resection and has further accreditation in capsule endoscopy. He is available to care for patients experiencing a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders and available to perform direct-access procedures at John Flynn Private Hospital with follow up consultations via telephone or in rooms.

For bookings or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact our principal rooms located in the Medical Centre at John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Aiden Lyon is available for:

Procedures at:

• John Flynn Private Hospital

Consultations:

• Suite 3G, John Flynn Medical Centre
• via phone (as required)

B Hlth Sci (Nutr&Diet) (Hons).

MBBS FRACP

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Staff Specialist Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH)

Alicia Braund studied Medicine at Griffith University and graduated in 2008. She completed physician training and gastroenterology training at the Gold Coast University Hospital and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Her previous background was in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Alicia provides thorough examinations of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract through gastroscopy, colonoscopy and polypectomy. In 2020, Alicia’s adenoma (pre-cancerous polyp) detection rate was 77.5% in males and 57.5% in females aged greater than 50 years. This is well above the accepted Australian target of >25% adenoma detection rate. She is committed to safe procedures and excellent communication.

Outside of Gastrocare, Alicia is a staff specialist at the Gold Coast University Hospital. She is the Clinical Lead in Hepatology and enjoys all aspects of care for patients with liver and gastrointestinal diseases.

For bookings or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact our principal rooms located in the Medical Centre at John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Alicia Braund is available for:

Procedures via direct access at

• Robina Private Hospital

Consultations via phone:

• Post procedural follow-up (by phone) only

MBBS, FRACP

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Staff Specialist Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH)

Visiting Medical Officer at The Tweed Hospital 

Rebekah Van Leest grew up in rural Victoria and studied Medicine at Monash University in Melbourne.  She undertook her basic physician training at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Following succesful completion of her advanced training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Western Health and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, she was pleased to be awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians in 2016.

Rebekah maintains various interests across a range of inpatient and outpatient gastroenterology, as well as gastroscopy, colonoscopy and bowel cancer screening.  Providing a high standard of care for her patients is of utmost importance to Rebekah, as is maintaining clear communication with General Practitioners. Rebekah has worked as a Consultant Gastroenterologist in a variety of settings, including Cairns, Albury, Launceston, Hobart, Hervey Bay and Lismore. 

She is currently appointed as a staff specialist at the Gold Coast University Hospital and also as a Visiting Medical Officer at The Tweed Hospital.

For bookings or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact our principal rooms located in the Medical Centre at John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Rebekah Van Leest is available for:

Procedures via direct access at:

• Robina Private Hospital
• Tweed Day Surgery

Consultations:

• Post procedural follow-up (by phone) only

BSc (Hons), MBChB, MRCP, FRACP

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Visiting Medical Officer at The Tweed Hospital 

Dr Gordon is a specialist gastroenterologist and hepatologist. He is available for consultation on all gastroenterological and hepatological conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, nutrition disorders, liver disease and bowel cancer screening. He undertakes consultations for public and private patients at John Flynn Hospital and performs gastroscopy and colonoscopy at John Flynn Hospital and The Tweed Hospital.

Dr Gordon completed his undergraduate training at the University of Bristol in 2010, obtaining Bachelor of Science, Medicine and Surgery degrees at this institution. Following this he worked in both the United Kingdom and Australia before completing gastroenterology training in the Cambridge region. This included a dedicated inflammatory bowel disease fellowship year at Addenbrookes Hospital.

He was awarded Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom in 2016 and Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2024. He is certified by the Conjoint Committee for the Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy to perform gastroscopy and colonoscopy.

For booking or enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact our principal rooms located in the Medical Centre at John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Robert Gordon is available for:

Procedures at:

• John Flynn Hospital
• The Tweed Hospital 

Consultations:

• Suite 3G, John Flynn Medical Centre
• via phone (as required)

Both Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman and Dr Robert Gordon use the Gastrocaregc rooms to consult sessionally for The Tweed Hospital. If you require endoscopy through the Tweed Hospital, you will require a consultation (during this appointment the paperwork is commenced) with Dr Rebekah Van Leest, Dr Ben Allen, Dr Rob Gordon or Dr Abdul Rahman. These consultations are billed at a discounted rate with most of the consultation cost covered by your medicare rebate. You are not on the surgical waitlist at The Tweed Hospital until the hospital has received and accepted your completed admission paperwork.