Mr Rodney Laing

Mr Laing was appointed as a Consultant Neurosurgeon, with an interest in spinal neurosurgery, at Addenbrookes Hospital in 1995.

His practice includes both complex spinal neurosurgery and minimally invasive (keyhole) surgery, which can often be performed as day cases. He specialises in the treatment of back pain, leg pain (sciatica), neck pain, arm pain (brachalgia), trauma, tumours, (fusion) Chiari and syringomyelia. In 2000 Mr Laing was appointed director of higher neurosurgical training for the Eastern Deanery.

He was directly involved in neurosurgical training both at local level and at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. In addition Mr Laing has been secretary of the British Cervical Spine Society and worked to establish the British Association of Spine Surgeons where he served on the Executive. In 2009 Mr Laing became Clinical Lead for Neurosurgery at Addenbrookes and in 2013 Clinical Director of Neurosciences. He has overseen many changes within the Neurosurgical centre and introduced key initiatives including day case spinal surgery. He is a Council member of the Society of British Neurological surgeons and has been appointed to the Neuroscience clinical commissioning group.

Mr Laing believes that the most important development in spinal surgery over the last few years has been the introduction of minimally invasive surgical techniques, which significantly shortens the recovery time.He also works as part of a team of experts, collaborating with physiotherapists, sports medicine physicians, neurologists, rheumatologists and pain specialists. He aspires to achieve the highest standards, audit his practice and publish his surgical outcomes in peer-reviewed journals.