A/Prof. Bessell performs medico-legal work including; reviewing cases Coronial Enquiries, providing specialist Medical Negligence reports to Courts throughout the country, acting as an independent examiner and permanent impairment assessor particularly in the areas of workers compensation and motor vehicle accident claims. He provides detailed balanced and objective reports that draw upon his extensive experience in this area.

A Prof. Bessell is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, and has deployed to war zones including East Timor (twice) and Solomon Islands, and to Banda Aceh in support of ADF military operations. He is formerly the Chairman of the Military Section of the College of Surgeons, and the former Chairman of the S.A. Regional Board in General Surgery.

He performed a wide variety of General Surgical operations, Upper Gastrointestinal, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery, and interventional endoscopic procedures. He is also an expert in Digestive health and Hernias.

A/Prof. Bessell trained in Adelaide, during which period he completed a Doctorate in minimally-invasive surgery culminating in a six month period of research into robotically-assisted laparoscopic surgery in Germany. Prior to returning home, he spent a further two years in Brisbane and Leicester. A/Prof. Bessell has over 90 published medical articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed international surgical journals, and has presented innumerable papers and research topics at national and international surgical meetings and conferences.