AFTER more than 32 years working in the NHS a pain management consultant has opened his own private state-of-the-art clinic in Haslingden.

Dr Magdy Aglan worked as an anaesthesia registrar in his home country of Egypt before coming to the UK in 1988.

He is currently a senior consultant at Burnley General Hospital and plans to share his time between NHS work and his new business Pain Consultants Ltd, based at Link 665, just off the Haslingden bypass.

As well as four clinical rooms, the suite also has its own theatre, complete with the latest laser-guided x-ray machine from Germany to administer pain relief, and recovery bays.

Dr Aglan, who has worked over four continents, said: “I have been a consultant for 23 years in pain management and my main interests are low back pain, pelvic pain, joint pain and headaches.

“When people have acute pain for more than three months it becomes chronic and it can affect everything in a patient’s life. They can become depressed – but with the right management we can help them to function again.

“If a patient gets early care and gets their pain under control they can get back to living their life.”

To get a referral to Dr Aglan on the NHS involves up to an 18-week wait. However if people can pay privately or have insurance that will cover the costs they can book immediate appointments.

He said: “Even when I see an NHS patient at their first appointment they will then have a long time to wait before treatment and a follow-up.

“At the private clinic we will be able to carry out a diagnosis, decide on the best course of treatment and have access to a multi-disciplinary pain team. This will include a pain consultant, pain psychologist, pain psychiatrist, physiotherapist and specialist nurses.”

Dr Aglan said he will be able to access the best treatment from wherever in the world it comes.

He said: “Many of my patients have said that I am their lifeline and I want to be able to offer my patients the best available care. This is my passion and that is why I have invested in it.

“I am really proud of what we have achieved."

Although he will now devote spare time to his clinic, Dr Aglan will continue in his consultant role at the hospital trust because he feels it is important that NHS patients also have access to the best help available.