Professor Michael McCarthy

Mr Michael McCarthy is a highly experienced spinal surgeon based in Wales, practising at Nuffield Health The Vale Hospital. His main areas of expertise include spinal trauma, adult and paediatric spinal deformity, and degenerative spinal conditions. He regularly performs procedures such as discectomy and laminectomy, and focuses on delivering safe, effective care tailored to the needs of each patient.

He graduated with first-class honours in medicine from the University of Nottingham in 1999. As part of his studies, he spent time at the Cook County Trauma Unit in Chicago, gaining valuable experience in managing severe trauma. Following this, he completed his basic surgical training in Nottingham, rotating through a variety of specialities including Accident and Emergency, Neurosurgery, and Plastic Surgery. He later undertook a one-year research fellowship in spinal surgery at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, with his research presented and published both in the UK and abroad.

Mr McCarthy completed his higher surgical training in Trauma and Orthopaedics in the South West Peninsula and went on to achieve a Master’s Degree in Orthopaedic Engineering from Cardiff University. After passing his Fellowship exams, he chose to focus exclusively on spinal surgery for a further three years, including a year at the AO Spine Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Since 2012, he has worked as a full-time Spinal Consultant at the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough. He is also involved in teaching as a senior lecturer at Cardiff University Medical School and is a member of several professional organisations, including the British Association of Spinal Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.