About Us

Background

I was born and raised in rural Western Victoria and am a graduate of the University of Melbourne (1991). I completed my surgical training in Victoria in 2021 and following a fellowship in laparoscopic surgery in Manchester (UK) I returned to Geelong where I have worked in both public and private practice since 2003. I have an appointment at Deakin University Medical School and I am the Director of Robotic Surgery and Director of Urological Surgery at Barwon Health and the Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee at St John of God Hospital, Geelong.

I have worked previously in Zambia, Tanzania and Zanzibar and conducted over 15 Urology aid trips to Pacific countries - Vanuatu, Samoa and Tuvalu.

I have a special interest in surgical training and trainee performance. I have surgical expertise in minimally invasive surgical techniques and in 2017 established regional Australia's first public robotic surgical program in Geelong.

I am a previous chair of the national Training Board of Urology, and the current SIMG assessor for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ (RACS), the Global Health Specialty Coordinator for RACS in Urology. I am involved in surgical training and both designing and facilitate a number of education courses for RACS.

Research Focus

• Robotic Surgery – kidney cancer and prostate cancer
• Regional and Rural surgery
• Non-technical skills for surgeons
• Telehealth in surgery
• Urinary tract stone disease
• New treatments for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Feature Publications

• Cameron J. Parkin, Hodo Haxhimolla, Richard Grills, Sue Chapman, Sydney Weinstein, Neil Joshi, Balasubramaniam Indrajit, Jonathan Kam, Teresa Smilovic, Andrew Shepherd, Njeri Gikenye Mark Louie-Johnsun - Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Prostate Needle Biopsy is still a standard of care for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis – A Multicentre Australian Analysis of Infection Rates - World Journal of Urology, October 2021 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-021-03862-8
• Grills R, Tissot S, McLeod K, Optimising Surgical Training in the time of COVID-19 – Victorian regional teaching hospital experience. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 12 Jan 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.17472
• Holmes A, O’Kane D, Wombwell, A, Grills R. Clinical utility of a single-use flexible cystoscope compared with a standard reusable device: a randomized non-inferiority study Endourol. 21 Sept 2022, https://doi.org/10.1089/end.2022.0210
• Neerhut T, Ninan J, Grills R, McLeod K. Defining the good surgical resident: a resident and registrar perspective ANZJS 28 August 2023 http://doi.org/10.1111/ans.18689
• Willder S, Kelsey E, O’Connor E, Grills R. Expanding urological services into regional Australia and reducing interhospital transfers: how the nurse practitioner can help. ANZJS 15 April 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.18993

How you can help

Participate in a Clinical Trial

To find out about Clinical Trials currently underway at Barwon Health, click here. To learn more about the Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre, click here.

Donate

Research requires ongoing investment and there are several ways to support our work. You can make a donation today and contribute to an item on our research group’s wish list, consider a bequest in your will, or establish a lasting legacy fund in your name. No matter what size, your philanthropic support will deliver an immediate impact to this important work. To donate now or for more information, please contact the Barwon Health Foundation.