London Spine Unit - Back and Neck Pain Clinic Omdömen 

Mr Akmal identified the problem which in itself was a massive step forward. My hip and leg pain was entirely back related and 9m of unfocused physio had got me nowhere. He set out 4 clear steps of how we could address it. I ended up doing step 1 and 2 (Spine injection and denervation.) I was free of chronic pain for the first time in years. And all done with listening and consideration. Couldn't fault it.

I was suffering from severe back pain and sciatica due to a history back problems / slipped disc, which was making everyday activities difficult. Thankfully, I found Dr Akmal, infact he was recommended to me by my mother in law.

Dr Akmal provided exceptional care and successfully treated the issue. From diagnosis to recovery he was attentive, compassionate, and highly skilled, ensuring I understood my treatment options and what to expect. Thanks to his expertise, I’m now pain-free. He equally has a good team!

i have no hesitation in recommending Dr Akmal and team

I had spinal decompression/discectomy surgery at the LSU 3 weeks ago after suffering with excruciating nerve pain in my right leg for months that kept becoming worse. What began as random strange numbness in my right leg in November 2023 steadily developed into terrible sharp shooting nerve pain from June 2024 down the whole leg to my toes. MRI showed severe prolapsed L5 disc at S1 nerve root level with degeneration in the disc. I was walking with a large waddling gait since July, having muscle spasms, preventing me from driving, working, sleeping, looking after my young children, most things!
I tried 2 different physios, osteo, acupuncture, nothing helped only made symptoms worsen. After a trip to A and E taken in by ambulance, being ignored by the junior doctors, no pain relief given or any tests conducted, I had an epidural injection in August privately which unfortunately didn’t help me personally though for my case however I have heard how it can offer relief to some patients. I then set about exploring the option of surgery. I went to various different clinics but wasn’t satisfied with the consultations I had, in that I felt they were rushed, I came out feeling they were dismissive of my symptoms and the level of impact this had on my life and the proposed 5 day hospital stay for surgery put me off too. I was looking for a day surgery and a quick recovery so I could get back to my responsibilities. I went to see Dr Akmal late August for an initial consultation after googling day surgery options for spinal surgery. I found both Dr Akmal and Dr Lok to be very knowledgeable, they both understood my problem right away and were attentive and took the time to listen to my symptoms. I was satisfied this was the right course of action for me. I decided to go ahead with the surgery and had the pre op blood tests, ECG and doctor consultation a few days ahead of the surgery. Once I got the all clear and declared fit for the operation I was given a date for surgery. On the day of the surgery I was rather anxious but Dr Akmal and his team made sure I was very comfortable and calm. They all came to speak with me and explain what was going to happen etc. Dr Bedran the anesthetist was very kind and explained what was going to be used factoring my allergies etc very well and it was all very reassuring and thorough. The procedure went well and I was able to walk straight for the first time in months. I was given the all clear by Dr Akmal and very happy to go home in the evening. I was given a full briefing on meds to take during my recovery process at home and hard copies of detailed instructions which I was so grateful for as it’s a lot to take in! I was provided with a medication pack, some extra wound dressings, decompression stockings etc. Once at home the doctor with whom I had the pre op consultation would call me every morning for the first 3 days to check in with me. This was a great opportunity to ask any questions, things I had forgotten etc.
3 weeks in I can say it’s been the best decision for my specific case to undergo the surgery. I could walk straight as soon as I had the surgery, there is the obvious pain when you go home as the drugs from the surgery wear off and roughly Day 2-5 you will feel as if you have been hit by a truck. I was very lethargic had short bursts of energy followed by tiredness and pain/ soreness in back and legs. The nerve pain flared up for me around Day 5 around my foot, hamstring and calf but thankfully gradually passed day by day and now I get minor little rumblings as the nerves are settling back down after being trapped for so long mostly under hamstring and back of the kneecap, this is tolerable and I am gradually improving to being hopefully pain free in the coming months! I am most happy to be walking straight again even if I can’t manage long walks just yet! Thank you again to Dr Akmal and all of your team, to the lovely ward nurses, to Dr Bedran, Dr Lok, also the wonderful ladies at reception who escorted my husband and I, carried my bags to the car and made sure I was sat comfortably before she let us go. Thank you so much for such a positive experience after suffering bad experiences at other clinics, I am truly grateful God led me to your clinic.

I went to see Dr Mo Akmal at the Harley Street London Spine Unit Clinic after beeing for over 1 year under the care of the NHS. He was very professional and understanding of my situation and after seeing the MRIs he confirmed my health probelm being severe degenerative disc diseas at L5-S1 level. He offered me a few options, one of them being the Spinal Fusion surgery.
I want to stress that he never put any pressure on me to choose for the best solution so I had to decide myself amongst the different options he gave me. I decided to go for the surgery since my situation was very bad. I had been in constant pain for over a year, not able to go back to work (plumber), unable to walk without pain for more than 10 minutes or stand. I am 32 years old.
Once I decided to go for surgery, the clinic arranged my appointment within a week. I did all the pre-op tests in the clinic and finally went for my surgey on May 16, 2024.
The surgery went really well, I was home on the same day and was able to walk without pain almost immediately. The clinic provided all the medication for the 2 weeks following the surgery and someone called every day for the first 3 days to check on me. After 3 weeks I can say I was able to go for 1 hour long walks and be back to normal life. I have been back to work as an industrial plumber after 3 months, not having any pain on the area treated. I went to see Dr Akmal twice since the surgery, once after 2 weeks and once after 3 months. I had an X-Ray onsite after 3 months and you can see the bone was already growing around the fusion. I cannot thank Dr Akmal enough for giving me a hope and a solution to my problem after being in pain for over a year. I am writing this review after almost 5 months of the surgery and I can say that it was the best decision I took to trust him with my health.

After enduring severe back pain for the past 23 years, I finally decided to take a major step towards reclaiming my life. The pain had become unbearable, and I knew it was time to act before it was too late. With extensive research and much contemplation, I chose to undergo an L4/5, L5/S1 Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion at Harley Street Hospital under the expert care of Mr. Mo Akmal and his outstanding team. I can confidently say that it was the best decision I have ever made.

From the very first consultation, Mr. Akmal provided me with comprehensive information, addressing all my concerns and ensuring I was well-prepared for the procedure. Although the thought of major surgery was daunting, the professionalism, empathy, and expertise of the entire medical staff made me feel reassured and confident in my choice.

The surgery itself was nothing short of miraculous. I entered the operating room with a severe tilt and immense pain, but just two hours later, I was standing straight for the first time in years. The results were immediate and astonishing. Despite knowing what to expect, the experience of waking up and able to stand tall again was beyond anything I could have imagined.

I am incredibly grateful to Mr. Akmal and his dedicated team at Harley Street Hospital for their brilliant care and support throughout this journey. They have given me the gift of a new life, something I never thought was possible after so many years of suffering. I highly recommend Mr. Akmal to anyone dealing with severe back pain or injuries. His skill and dedication are truly life-changing.

If you're in a similar situation and considering this surgery, take the leap—you won’t regret it. Mr. Akmal works wonders, and I am living proof of the incredible results that can be achieved.

Mr Mo Akmal changed my life. For the first time since 2009, I have been without pain. I had a cervical spine injury and had my first round of MBB and epidural. It took me maybe a day or two to recover and then suddenly, no pain. I now realise how much people take walking around or doing basic tasks for granted. What a blessing it is to have crossed paths with Mo. Such a talented guy. Excellent bedside manner, too.

I rarely write online reviews but am making a well-deserved exception for Mr Mo Akmal and his impressive private Team at The London Spine Unit, Harley Street Hospital. I had spinal decompression surgery via the NHS some months ago that resulted in a potentially life-threatening and excruciatingly painful L4/L5 disc infection that the NHS failed to quickly diagnose. After struggling to get anyone on the NHS to diagnose and treat me when I was in a state of unbelievable extreme pain and suffering, I turned to Mr Akmal’s private clinic out of desperation for help. Mr Akmal quickly diagnosed the disc infection that was missed by the NHS and put me on a course of antibiotics while carefully monitoring and following me. It is now some months later and I am on the road to healing with pain greatly reduced. The London Spine Unit is a completely private, self-contained private hospital fully equipped with the latest MRI and EOS scanners. They also are one of the few spinal clinics globally who routinely use very advanced pioneering techniques like minimally invasive day surgery, antibiotic powder to reduce their infection rates to near zero, special co-flex spacers to keep the discs apart so they can heal properly and reduce stress, etc. I kick myself for not having my spinal decompression surgery done with Mr Akmal’s London Spine Unit in the beginning as this would have prevented so much pain and suffering that the NHS unnecessarily put me through. In hindsight it would have been an excellent investment to have gone private to avoid the extreme pain and suffering the NHS left me in. Mr Akmal has had a spinal decompression surgery himself, so he has extreme empathy with spinal patients who are suffering. Unlike most arrogant neurosurgeons who refuse to listen to their patients, Mr Akmal is very kind, calm and takes all the time needed to carefully listen to his patients. He personally phoned me up several times to check how I was doing at no charge. I did check prices at several private clinics and believe Mr Akmal’s London Spine Unit is not only competitively priced, but they offer the absolute best world-class cutting-edge spinal care that you can find anywhere in the world. I also paid to get several other opinions from various other neurosurgeons and in hindsight Mr Akmal was the ONLY neurosurgeon who was consistently 100% correct in all the advice he gave to me. The amount of bad or incorrect advice being given out by other neurosurgeons is shocking so everyone should get at least one second opinion on all spinal issues. Mr Akmal talked me out of having some additional expensive treatments when I was begging for them to get me out of pain and in hindsight, he was right! I can’t say enough good things about Mr Akmal and his elite team to properly do them justice but they have been truly excellent, more than fair in their very reasonable charges, and left the NHS in the dust in regards to quality of care. If anyone has spine problems of any kind, then your first port of call should be Mr Mo Akmal and his London Spine Unit at the Harley Street Hospital. You will be extremely well taken care of, and he will use advanced techniques that you won’t find on the NHS or with most other spinal surgeons (including private ones) who are clearly inferior to Mr Akmal in many respects in my opinion. If you are looking for an honest, compassionate, fair, down-to-earth, highly-experienced spinal neurosurgeon who genuinely cares about you – and who is up on the very latest global advances in spinal care then Mr Mo Akmal is the neurosurgeon for you. 5 Stars and Excellent rating without question for Mr Mo Akmal and his Team at the London Spine Unit, Harley Street Hospital. This is a 100% genuine review I wrote myself with no coaching from anyone. I don’t know what I would have done without Mr Akmal’s most kind and compassionate expert help getting me out of the mess the NHS left me in. Very grateful to Mr Akmal and his most excellent highly skilled team – one of the few private spinal clinics that can be trusted to put the patient’s care first above everything else including money. Clearly one of the best spinal clinics in the world. Honest, fair, trustworthy, compassionate, deeply experienced, knows their stuff, puts the patient’s wellbeing first. I might not be here today if it were not for Mr Akmal. Thank you sincerely!

I recently underwent an L5/S1 lumbar fusion surgery with Mr. Akmal, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the outcome. I've suffered from spondylolisthesis since my teenage years, which led to chronic back pain and sciatica down my legs. This condition limited my ability to do many things in life, and as I entered my 50s, the pain became increasingly unbearable. It was then that I decided to explore surgical options privately, and after extensive research, I found Mr. Akmal.

From the very first consultation, I felt confident in Mr. Akmal's expertise. He was thorough in explaining the procedure and what I could expect from it. After a few consultations, I decided to go ahead with the surgery, which was scheduled for May 2024.

The surgery itself went exceptionally well and I was up and walking just a few hours after the procedure. Though the first few weeks post-operation had their ups and downs, my recovery has been smooth, and I’m getting stronger every day. The most significant change for me is the complete absence of sciatica pain. For the first time in decades, I can engage in normal activities that I had long given up on—going for long walks, swimming, visiting the gym, standing in queues, and even carrying shopping! I genuinely feel like I've got my life back.

I am incredibly grateful to Mr. Akmal and his entire team, especially Mr. Lok, who provided excellent advice for my aftercare. Their professionalism, skill, and compassion have made a profound difference in my life. I cannot thank them enough and wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Akmal to anyone considering back surgery. This procedure has been life-changing for me, and I am beyond thrilled with the results.

I spent a week shadowing Mr. Akmal and his team at the London Spine Unit, and it was an eye-opening experience. Seeing patients who arrived in wheelchairs walk confidently shortly after complex spinal surgeries highlighted the incredible skill and dedication of Mr. Akmal and his team. Watching him operate with such precision and confidence was inspiring and reassuring, and it’s clear why patients would trust their care to him. I was particularly impressed by his ability to quickly diagnose conditions after brief examinations, his attentive listening, and his thorough explanations of treatment options, ensuring patients could make informed decisions without feeling pressured. This experience has truly inspired me and solidified my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine. I feel incredibly fortunate to learn from such a talented, compassionate doctor.

Dr Akmal and his colleague, were excellent. They carried out a thorough examination with full explanation of options. The procedure he performed helped me tremendously with my presenting problem.

Flat on my back with sciatica and in considerable pain I Googled spinal surgeons specialising in the condition and chose London Spine Unit and Mr Akmal. This proved to be an excellent choice. From initial telephone conversation with Mr Akmal, which I chose to book easily on line, followed up with a scan and face to face meeting with him, I was diagnosed with L5/S1 herniated disc. Having had a spinal injection initially which helped, I opted for microdiscectomy approximately one month later. I was pain free very quickly after the surgery and able to return to day to day activities and get my life back. I am now 5 months post-surgery, fully mobile and pain free. Mr Akmal and his whole team have been wonderful throughout and I would not hesitate to recommend them. The information provided is comprehensive and thorough and there is absolutely no pressure.

I recently underwent surgery for a three-level cervical disc replacement with Mr Mo Akmal and Dr Y Lok and their team at the HSH, and the experience was outstanding. Mr Akmal’s professionalism and expertise were evident from our first consultation, where he thoroughly explained the procedure and addressed all my concerns.

The surgical team, including nurses and anaesthetists, demonstrated exceptional care, coordination, and attention to detail. Their calm and supportive approach significantly reduced my anxiety. The procedure was completed as day surgery, I left the HSH with a pain management plan which was a complete success, this allowed me to move forward very quickly on my road to recovery.

Post-surgery, the care was exemplary, and the nursing staff was attentive, managing my pain effectively, and Dr. Lok personally followed up to monitor my recovery.

In summary, Mr Mo Akmal and his team provided exceptional care, combining medical expertise with genuine compassion. I highly recommend their services.

A caring, genuine team of professionals lead by Mr Akmal, whereby no request is too small. Every one of the team was kind, courteous, amicable and professional. I can almost say I enjoyed my experience of surgery on my back!!! The aftercare included in the package was second to none and one could call, email or even drop in (as I did) for reassurance. A wound on your back cannot be properly seen except by another person so I was very grateful for that service.Would not hesitate to recommend.

I received the best care at The London Spine Unit. Quick and efficient assessment, professional, evidence based and highly skilled surgery and awesome follow-up care. My recovery has been a journey but I'm starting to feel the benefits now and I know it will greatly improve my quality of life.

Having back pain for many years I made an appointment with Mr Akmal at the London spine clinic, I had an appointment within a week at a time to suit having to travel a long distance, the hospital were prompt in dealing with my symptoms and I had a spine operation two weeks later, two weeks post op and I am now pain free and recouperation at home doing exercises to help me stand straight after a long time bent over walking. I cannot praise the London spine hospital enough for there treatment and follow up advise this is a no brainer if you have back issues, a very satisfied client, John Chesterfield

I’m a 21 year old and was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis. After a year and a half of feeling I’d lost my life to the pain and unable to walk, work, socialise, do day to day tasks and under the NHS and trying multiple treatments to no avail with huge wait times in between each new treatment I decided to seek a private consultant. From the moment I met Mr Akmal and his team I knew I had made the right decision. He saw not only my physical pain but also my metal health pain. He talked me through different procedures but told me it was my choice in the end, after careful thought but no question the best decision I went with the lumber decompression and fusion. I felt completely safe in the team’s hands and they looked after me from start to finish. The surgery was a day case and I was up and walking pain free with in a couple of hours of recovery. They team were on hand through the next few days to check on me and answer any questions or concerns. I can now say I’m pain free and back to working and living life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me.
Justin age 21

Amazing time here. Such a shame due to relocating i had to stop.
Amazing staff and doctors
Will try to come back if other options dont work
Good staff and good service

I reached out the the London Spine Unit after 3 months of severe pain and being left frustrated by my local NHS and Nuffield Health services.

Within 48 hour of making contact I had an online consultation with Mr Akmal. Before my appointment he had already accessed my medical file and familiarised himself with my recent MRI scan. It was clear right away that Mr Akmal was more knowledgeable than any specialist I had seen before.

I was recommended to have a disk injection and laser surgery. Following my procedure I walked out and instantly felt better then I did when I walked in. If I have future issues with my back this is only one place I will be coming to for treatment.

The consultant was brilliant, caring, friendly and competent. Reception personnel were also very helpful.
It was sometimes a bit difficult to get hold of people by email, having to chase up a reply, and I did not much appreciate having to wait for over 5 hours for a phone call, wasting a whole afternoon of my time.
Also the cost of a very straightforward procedure was, in my view, too high.
This comment covers three visits to the London Spine Unit - 20.02.24 ( face to face), 21.02.24 (procedure), 02.04.24 (follow-up, phone call).

Fixed. I found this team online. Mr Mo Akmal is a consummate professional. As well as clearly being a highly-skilled diagnostician and surgeon, I found Mr Akmal to be a clear, honest and empathetic communicator. Support staff are also very good. Can’t rate them highly enough.