Spinal surgery

What we do

King's Regional Neurosurgical Unit provides a specialist spinal service for people lving in South East London and Kent.

Our large team includes neurosurgeons, physiotherapists, pain relief doctors, neuroradiologists and a spinal clinical nurse specialist enabling us to offer a wide range of treatments and provide the best patient care possible.

We treat degenerative spinal conditions such as back and neck pain, lumbar, cervical and thoracic problems and sciatica.

We have four neurosurgeons who specialise in complex spinal surgery and the treatment of spinal injuries. We also have a joint complex spine clinic which enables the team to discuss the best treatment options for each patient.

Preparing for your appointment

When we receive your referral it is important it is accompanied by an MRI scan. If we receive it without an MRI scan, we cannot review your case at the spine MDT or send you an outpatients appointment. If you have any concerns about your referral, please contact the Spinal Pathway Co-ordinator.

If you are sent an appointment to be seen in the outpatient clinic and are not booked in to have an MRI scan before this date, either at your local hospital or at KCH, please contact the Spinal Coordinator so they can arrange for you to have one.

If the MDT report you receive states you should have further investigations before your outpatient appointment and you have not received a date for these, please contact the Spinal Co-ordinator so they can arrange for you to have them.

Location

Suite 5, Golden Jubilee Wing, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS

Contact Details

• Neurosciences Admissions Office: +44 (0)20 3299 4013
• Outpatient Appointment Centre: +44 (0)20 3299 1919
• Pre-assessment team: +44 (0)20 3299 4433
• Spinal Pathway Co-ordinator: +44 (0)20 3299 5178

Patient Information Leaflets

• Lumbar Spinal Surgery

Conditions we treat

We treat a variety of spinal conditions using procedures that include:

• discectomy/microdiscectomy
• laminectomy
• lumbar spinal fusion
• anterior cervical discetomy (ACD/ACDF)
• cervical laminectomy
• foraminotomy
• cervical spinal fusion
• posterior lumbar
• interbody fusion (PLIF).
  

What is required before referring a patient

Before making a referral to the Spinal Team, please follow the guidelines on the referral form to ensure it is made within the correct timescale and to the most appropriate service.

All referral letters must be accompanied by an MRI scan carried out within the last 6 months. This should be sent via the image-link facility for emergency/urgent referrals or on CD for routine referrals.

Booking a patient at King's

Routine Referrals

Please read the guidelines on the referral form before you make a routine referral to ensure the patient requires a neurosurgical opinion.

If a routine referral is indicated, send us a referral letter outlining the patient’s medical condition, relevant symptoms, history and medication.

All referral letters must be accompanied by an MRI scan, performed within the last 6 months, of the relevant area of the spine which can be on a CD or image-linked with the referral letter. This should be sent to:

Spinal Team
Department of Neurosurgery
4th Floor, Hambledon Wing Central
King’s College Hospital
Denmark Hill
London SE5 9RS

Emergency Referrals

Please read the guidelines on the referral form to determine the urgency of the referral.

Hospitals wishing to make an emergency referral should call King's main switchboard on 020 3299 9000 and ask to speak to the on-call Neurosurgical Registrar.

GPs wishing to make an emergency referral should refer patients to their local A&E department for urgent assessment.

Urgent referrals can be faxed to King's Neurosurgery Deparment on 020 3299 3280. The MRI scan must also be image-linked to King's Radiology Department the same day.

Other Queries

For other queries as well as advice and guidance on urgent and routine referrals, contact the Spinal Pathway Co-ordinator on 020 3299 5178.

Referral Forms

There are no referral forms for this service.

Key Clinical Staff