Meet the team
About us
Welcome to the London Spine Clinic! We're a multidisciplinary team of spinal specialists who are passionate about helping our patients achieve optimal spinal health and well-being. Since our launch in 1996, we've been the first private specialist spinal unit to be established in England, and we've been dedicated to bringing together a group of consultants who investigate, diagnose, and treat spinal conditions and related problems.
We're thrilled to have become part of The London Clinic, the UK’s largest independent charitable hospital, in September 2021. This partnership allows us to continue offering the high-quality care our patients have come to expect, with a focus on providing the very best healthcare outcomes.
We are a team of spinal surgeons, pain specialists, podiatrists, rheumatologists, spinal nurses, and physiotherapists who work collaboratively to provide a comprehensive evaluation of our patients conditions, taking into account all aspects of their spinal health and well-being.
Click on the drop-down menus below to find out more about our team of specialists and how we can help you achieve optimal spinal health and well-being.
Surgeons
Triage Consultant Spinal Neurosurgeon
Lead Clinician London Spine Clinic
MBChB FRCS(Ed) FRCS (SN)
John Sutcliffe trained as an undergraduate in 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.
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 has a clinic Monday to Thursday in London.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 3
Consultant Spinal and Functional Neurosurgeon
MA(Camb) BM BCh(Oxf) DM(Oxf) FRCS(SN) SFHEA
Erlick Pereira is a Consultant Neurosurgeon at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, where his particular interests are complex spinal surgery and functional neurosurgery for movement disorders and chronic pain.
Mr Pereira has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence since 2018. This is an annual award made to clinicians who receive consistently outstanding patient feedback at iWantGreatCare.org.
Mr. Pereira has clinics every Wednesday and Thursday and appointments other weekday afternoons.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 4
Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon
MD FAorth(Ger), PhD, BEd
Mr. Liantis has special interest in Complex Spinal Surgery and receives a large number of tertiary and quaternary referrals for primary and revisional problems. He has experience in minimal access techniques in Spinal Surgery and in the management of adult and paediatric spinal deformities, scoliosis, kyphosis, tumours, spinal trauma, osteoporotic fractures, vertebroplasty, infections, lumbar and cervical disc degeneration, sciatica, injection therapies for low back and leg pain.
He is the lead clinician of the fellowship program of the complex spinal surgery at NHS Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and is involved in the teaching of undergraduate medical student and postgraduate clinical doctors at King’s College.
Mr. Liantis has a clinic every Thursday.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 3
Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon
Patrick is fully trained in all aspects of Spinal Surgery including cervical and lumbar degenerative conditions, tumour, trauma and scoliosis.
He was awarded the Spine Society of Europe Clinical Award in 2005, which is an international prize for clinical research. This was awarded for research into lumbar spinal fusion for low back pain.
Mr. McKenna has a clinic every week.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 5
Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon
MD, FAorth (Ger), PhD
Mr Hess is an internationally renowned expert in the field of minimal-invasive spine surgery and interventional pain therapy. He is lecturer of more than 200 scientific presentations and is invited worldwide as a guest surgeon.
For more than 15 years his main interest is in endoscopic procedures, where he has a broad experience in several techniques and approaches. Mr Hess was co-surgeon of the worldwide first successful full-endoscopic nucleus replacement surgery in 2009 and is the principal clinical investigator for a novel nucleus implant.
Mr. Hess has a regular clinic every month.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 6
Consultant Spinal Neurosurgeon
MBChB, FRCS (Neurosurgery)
Dan Wright is a spinal neurosurgeon committed to finding the best treatment for each patient either surgical or non-surgical. He treats a wide range of adult spinal conditions including back pain, neck pain and sciatica. He specialises in minimally invasive/keyhole approaches and robot assisted spinal surgery.
Consultant Neurosurgeon & Complex Spine Surgeon
MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCS FRCS(SN)
Mr Siva is a dual-qualified Consultant Neurosurgeon with subspecialist expertise in the full spectrum of spinal disorders, ranging from common degenerative conditions (neck/back pain, sciatica, sport injuries, osteoporosis, trapped nerves) to complex cancer and adult scoliosis surgery.
He specialises in employing minimally invasive/keyhole, computer-navigated and robotic-assisted techniques to manage patients with previous failed surgeries.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | EXT: 7437
Pain specialist
Pain specialist
MD FRCA EDIC EDRA FFPMRCA
Dr Moein Tavakkoli is an experienced anaesthetic trained and fellowship trained pain specialist. He has a huge experience of managing patients with pain, often of spinal origin and undertakes pain procedures including spinal injections and neuromodulation.
Running the pain clinic, Dr Tavakkoli manages the medication profiles of patients, intervening with other therapeutic options where necessary. Jointly with other colleagues in the team, he undertakes spinal cord stimulation, to treat chronic pain states.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 4
Podiatrist
Registered Podiatrist
Saj is our resident Harley Street Consultant. He has over 25 years of extensive clinical experience in both the NHS and Private sector. He is an active member of the Clinical Multi-Disciplinary Team and has been here at The London Spine Clinic for over 16 years.
He provides an exceptional service, ranging from basic foot care and palliative care encompassing all forms of skin and general foot care. He is a musculoskeletal specialist and uses Gait Analysis and posture enhancement techniques also providing custom made Orthotics (insoles) as well as rehabilitation exercise programs. This will help realign foot bones, legs, knees, hips and of course the pelvis and spine. Many back problems are thus resolved. He not only sees professional athletes and is Podiatrist to F1 Drivers, Team GB and UK Athletics, Professional Footballers and many other high profile sports men and women.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 2
Rheumatologist
Consultant Rheumatologist and Spinal Interventionalist
MD, FRCP
Tony was appointed as General Physician and Rheumatologist at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in 1992 where he developed the department and contributed to over 30 clinical trials, notably with biologic therapies in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
In addition, he developed an advanced sub-specialism in interventional spinal pain management, including back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and trapped nerves. He has published almost 50 papers and articles and continues to be active in teaching and publishing; he has recently published the UK's largest series of minimally invasive disc pain management cases.
Now mainly in private practice, he brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the diagnostic and treatment aspects of the rheumatoid diseases, coupled with unique practical skills in interventional joint and spinal pain management.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 6
Spinal Nurse
The London Spine Clinic is supported by the London Clinic Hospital, who employ the Specialist Spinal Nurse, Patrick O'Connell. He is responsible for overseeing the out-patient and in-patient management of the spinal patients on a day to day basis. Patrick will see patients before treatments, or surgery, will talk them through the procedures and will be in contact with them afterwards, ensuring all is well.
Patrick has many years' experience of dealing with patients undergoing spinal treatments, including surgery, has nursed in-patients who have been through major operations, as well as those undergoing more simple day-case procedures.
Physiotherapists
Registered Physiotherapist
Tim offers great Physio and advice to all patients, he is a dedicated member of the London Spine Clinic having worked here at the practice since 2006. He specialises in treatment and rehabilitation for acute and chronic, low back pain, neck pain and whiplash associated disorders. He is a member of, the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and ergonomics., the McKenzie Institute UK and the Medical Legal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists undertaking work as an expert witness.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 2
Registered Physiotherapist & Pilates Instructor
Rachel trained at Nottingham School of Physiotherapy graduating in 1992. She has worked in private practice for 15 years, during which time she has developed a specialist interest in Rehabilitative Pilates, which has been invaluable to her practice in reducing back pain, improving posture and general body conditioning.
In addition to Pilates and functional core stability, Rachel also has clinical interest in pelvic imbalance, shoulder dysfunction, lumber spine and, neck pain and the treatment of headaches and migraines.
Helping to heal damaged tissues in the spine and elsewhere is the goal; the K-laser has been invaluable in this, reducing inflammation and allowing patients to get back into a fitness program quicker, when spinal structures have been damaged. Rachel has been using this at the London Spine Clinic with very encouraging results and considerable improvement in pain for a large number of patients.
Contact information
Telephone: 0207 616 7720 | Option 2