Experience, judgement and a personal approach.
Consultant in Pain Medicine at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London.
Dr Stephen Ward MBBS FRCA FFPMRCA
Dr Stephen Ward is a Consultant in Pain Medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. He has more than 25 years’ experience as a consultant pain specialist, with a particular interest in spinal pain, including back pain, neck pain and sciatica.
Since 2000, he has led the pain management service at Nuffield Health Haywards Heath Hospital. He also provides consultant oversight to the Sussex Musculoskeletal Partnership pain service and leads a specialist spinal surgery and pain clinic at St Thomas’ Hospital.
Specialist clinical interests
Dr Ward assesses a wide range of persistent and complex pain conditions. His particular focus is on the diagnosis and non-surgical management of spinal pain. Where appropriate, assessment may include imaging or other investigations, followed by a discussion of treatment options, including image-guided injections and radiofrequency procedures.
His approach is based on a thorough clinical evaluation, an explanation of the likely causes of pain and a balanced discussion of the potential benefits, limitations and risks of treatment.
National guideline development and professional leadership
Dr Ward has extensive experience in national clinical guideline development through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). He has chaired NICE guideline committees covering low back pain and sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis and epilepsy.
He is a NICE Interventional Procedures Reviewer and has been a member of the NICE Quality Standards Committee for low back pain (QS155). His work in guideline development and evidence appraisal informs his clinical approach to evaluating the benefits, limitations and risks of treatment.
He has served on the Council of the British Pain Society and the Board of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
He has also served on the Faculty’s Professional Standards Committee and as an examiner for the Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FFPMRCA), contributing to the assessment of senior pain medicine specialists.
His academic work includes an honorary senior lectureship associated with the TwinsUK back pain research group. He has lectured nationally and internationally on the management of spinal pain.
Education and appointments
1990
Qualified in medicine, Guy’s Hospital Medical School.
1998–1999
Macmillan Pain Fellow, The Walton Centre, Liverpool.
2000–2018
Consultant and Lead Clinician, Department of Pain Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals.
2018–present
Consultant, Pain and Neuromodulation Centre, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London.
What patients have said about their care.
The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) publishes independent information about private consultants, including patient-reported experience and consultation fees.
95%
Of 187 respondents were likely or extremely likely to recommend Dr Ward to a friend or relative.
93%
Of 187 respondents said Dr Ward definitely met their needs.
View Dr Ward’s full PHIN profile, including fees and patient feedback ↗
Source: PHIN consultant profile, last updated 2 June 2026. Figures reflect the patients who responded to PHIN surveys and may change; see PHIN for current information.
Discuss your symptoms and the options available.
A careful assessment is the starting point for an individual treatment plan.