Dr Bjorn Birk

Clinical interests

• Back, neck, and joint pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Postherpetic neuralgia (shingles pain)
• Sciatica

Treatments 

• Medial Branch Block
• Nerve Root Blocks

Current Posts

Consultant Anaesthetist and Pain Specialist, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust

Current memberships

• Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists
• Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine

Professional Profile

Dr Bjorn Birk is a Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia at University Hospitals Sussex, where he provides specialist care for patients with both acute and chronic pain. Dr Birk's approach combines advanced image-guided techniques with compassionate, patient-centred care, ensuring that each treatment plan is tailored to the individual. He has a particular interest in managing back pain, joint pain, sciatica, neuropathic pain, post-herpetic neuralgia, and peripheral neuropathy.

Dr Birk offers a range of interventional pain treatments, including medial branch blocks (facet joint injections) and radiofrequency ablation for neck and back pain, nerve root blocks and epidural injections for sciatica, and peripheral nerve blocks for joint pain. He also provides innovative treatments for painful diabetic neuropathy and post-herpetic neuralgia (shingles pain), including QUTENZA® high-strength capsaicin patches and botulinum toxin (BOTOX®) injections.

Alongside his work in pain medicine, Dr Birk provides anaesthesia for a wide range of surgical specialties, including trauma, orthopaedic, spinal, and ophthalmic procedures.

Dr Birk qualified from Nottingham University Medical School in 2013 and completed his early postgraduate training in anaesthesia in the South East of England. He then undertook advanced training in Pain Medicine at St George’s Hospital, London, where he gained extensive experience in interventional pain procedures, multidisciplinary care, and the management of complex neuropathic and spinal pain conditions. Dr Birk was appointed as a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine at University Hospitals Sussex in 2023.

Dr Bjorn Birk's clinical interests include ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia and interventional pain techniques, which enhance precision, safety, and patient outcomes. He is passionate about teaching ultrasound-guided techniques and supporting simulation-based education, with his work presented nationally and internationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his clinical practice, he also teaches medical students at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and mentors postgraduate doctors in anaesthesia and pain medicine. Dr Birk is a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and a Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, and remains committed to continuous professional development, clinical governance, and improving standards of care.