We use a multidisciplinary approach to support people to minimise pain where possible and maximise quality of life. We recognise that everyone is an individual.
After a thorough assessment, we use a range of approaches based on the latest evidence and tailored to your needs and goals.
Many of our clinics are multidisciplinary, involving members from different parts of our team as well as clinicians from other specialties and services.
The most efficient way of contacting the department is to email uclh.
When leaving an answerphone message, please clearly state your name, hospital and/or NHS number, your telephone number and the reason for your call. The administration team will respond to email and telephone queries as soon as possible. Unclear messages and lack of caller identification are the two most common reasons for our being unable to respond to answerphone messages.
First appointments
If you are a patient and want to change or cancel a first appointment in the service, please contact the patient booking team on 020 3448 4777.
Follow-up appointments
If you are a patient and want to change or cancel a follow up appointment in the service, please contact the administration team at the Pain Management Centre on 020 3448 4776.
Six-week scheduling
A number of our clinics are moving to a six-week scheduling process. This helps to minimise cancellations, ensure appointment slots are filled and that waiting times are equitable.
For clinics where this applies, patients are placed on a waiting list until their appointment is due within six weeks, at which point the admin team will notify them of their appointment date and time.
Cancellations
We understand that in exceptional circumstances patients may need to cancel their appointment on the day. The most efficient way of contacting the department is to email uclh.
If you are not able to do this online you can telephone us on 020 3448 4776.
Repeated cancellations or missed appointments lead to delayed care and may lead to closure of a referral or discharge from our service.
Cancellation waiting list
Patients often ring in the hope that an appointment or procedure can be brought forward. In the interests of equity this is not possible unless there is a cancellation. If you would like to be placed on a cancellation waiting list for new patient appointments, reviews or a procedure, please email uclh.
As a team we understand that it is distressing for patients who have pain to have to wait to see a consultant or other healthcare professional and we are doing our very best to keep waiting lists as short as possible.
Medication and treatment enquiries
Enquiries regarding medication and treatments need to be responded to by healthcare professionals within scheduled appointments. Unfortunately, we are generally not able to respond to this kind of query outside of these times.
If you feel you have a very urgent need or concern, please seek medical advice from your GP in the first instance.
Our administration team is made up of dedicated professionals who undertake a range of clerical and administrative duties. The team can assist with appointment enquiries including booking, cancelling, or changing appointments.
For administrative queries, please contact the administration team:
Monday - Friday (we are not open on bank holidays), 8am – 5pm
Telephone: 020 3448 4776
Email: uclh.
Service manager: Monika Marciniak
You may see a consultant in pain medicine (also sometimes called consultant in pain management) as part of your initial assessment. These medical specialists diagnose and manage patients with complex persistent pain conditions while working closely with our wider multidisciplinary team to deliver a personalised management plan.
Information about individual expertise can be found on their respective pages:
- Dr Anish Bahra
- Dr Andrew Baranowski
- Dr Chris Barringer
- Dr Anupam Bhattacharjee
- Dr Sam Chong
- Dr Roman Cregg
- Dr Alan Fayaz
- Dr Dmitry Kruglov
- Dr Dermot McGuckin
- Dr Fausto Morell-Ducos (Clinical Lead)
- Dr Molola Oyewole
- Dr Danielle Reddi
- Professor Ashish Shetty
- Dr Jamie Smart
- Dr Moein Tavakkoli
- Dr Victoria Tidman
- Professor Joanna Zakrzewska
The nursing team at the Pain Management Centre is diverse and multi-skilled. We have a range of nurses from advanced nurse practitioners (ANP) and independent non-medical nurse prescribers, to clinical nurse specialists (CNS), procedure nurses and healthcare assistants. You may have contact with various members of our nursing team whilst under the care of the Pain Management Centre, depending on when, where and how you are reviewed.
As nurses, we take a proactive role in supporting your care and often take a lead in assessing and treating you throughout your journey with us. The nursing team at the Pain Management Centre are specialists in their chosen area of pain management and are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team.
Our nursing team is there to support you through all aspects of your journey through the Pain Management Centre and we will strive to provide you and your significant others with person-centred care that recognises you as an individual.
Physiotherapists play an important role in helping people who live with chronic pain. They work as part of a team to provide support and care tailored to your individual needs.
Here’s how physiotherapists can help:
- Understanding pain: Physiotherapists explain how pain works in simple, easy-to-understand ways. This helps clear up common misunderstandings, reduce fear, and encourage a positive approach to recovery.
- Managing flare-ups: When pain gets worse, physiotherapists teach strategies to manage it. This includes spotting early warning signs, adjusting activities, and using helpful coping techniques.
- Gradual exercise: They guide people through gentle, gradual exercises designed to build strength and confidence without causing more pain or injury.
- Balancing activity: Physiotherapists help break down tasks into manageable steps and find the right balance between activity and rest. This can reduce the chances of pain flare-ups and support steady progress.
- Setting goals together: Working with patients, physiotherapists set meaningful goals that fit each person’s life—whether that’s walking to the local shop, returning to work, or enjoying a favourite hobby.
By addressing the physical, social, and emotional sides of chronic pain, physiotherapists help people feel more confident, manage their symptoms better, and improve their overall quality of life. Their support encourages movement and active living, which are key to recovery.
Living with persistent pain can be challenging and may significantly affect your well-being. At our service, clinical and counselling psychologists work to help patients improve their quality of life while managing pain. Support is offered through group pain management programs or individual appointments, tailored to your specific needs. These interventions are grounded in evidence-based approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which are proven to support individuals with long-term physical health conditions.
If you have previously worked with a psychologist, we encourage you to share this during your assessment. This allows us to better understand your experiences and discuss how our services might be similar or different to what you’ve encountered before.
We understand that some patients worry that being referred to psychology might mean their pain isn’t being taken seriously or is being doubted. Please rest assured that this is not the case.
At UCLH, a number of psychologists are employed across our services as we recognise the challenges of living with physical health conditions. To learn more about what patients commonly explore with the psychology team, please visit our page on managing pain.