Bio

John Sutcliffe trained and graduated at Edinburgh, gaining the year prize for systematic surgery and qualifying in 1983. His early medical post-graduate training was also in Edinburgh, after qualification, taking in a large number of specialties including plastic, orthopaedic and paediatric surgery before focusing on neurosurgery. He was appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon at Barts and the London NHS Trust in 1993, running the neurotrauma service of the UK’s only helicopter emergency medical service at the time, dealing with head and spinal trauma, as well as managing a range of spinal conditions. He founded the London Spine Clinic in 1996, the first unit of its kind in the UK and has continued to develop and expand the team since that time.

Mr Sutcliffe is the senior Consultant surgeon and as the ‘Triage consultant’ is referred all complex spinal patients for assessment and diagnosis. The aim is to accurately diagnose the problem and arrange for immediate minimally invasive treatment or therapy to get the patient back to their normal life. For most cases, he will personally undertake the treatments, including spinal injections, blocks and referrals to the appropriate specialist therapists, usually within the unit.

Mr Sutcliffe established at the outset the need for a holistic approach to caring for spinal patients and is proud to lead the longest running private multidisciplinary spinal team meetings. All complex cases referred are presented to the multidisciplinary team in formal minuted meetings and he then arranges appropriate/necessary referrals to colleagues who will perform the recommended surgery, if all alternative options have been exhausted.

Find out more about the London Spine Clinic here.