Paul Nolan trained at the Queen’s University of Belfast Medical School, graduating in 1987. After general surgical training he gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1990.

He then spent eighteen months in full-time research studying bone grafting and bone biology, gaining his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 1992. His work was extensively funded by the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council and the British Orthopaedic Association Wishbone Trust. He published widely in the British Medical Journal, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Injury, Calcified Tissue International and numerous other scientific journals. He presented his work in Europe and North America, to both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Association.

He then spent four years in general orthopaedic training in Belfast completing the Specialist Fellowship Examination in Trauma and Orthopaedics (FRCS Tr & Orth) winning the Arthur Edward Burton Memorial Prize for first place in this examination.

In 1996 The British Orthopaedic Association presented him with the Robert Jones Gold Medal, the most prestigious orthopaedic award in the UK, for his work on Tissue Engineering and Self Cell Therapy.

He spent one year in Leeds in 1996 to 1997 doing the joint Neurosurgical / Orthopaedic National Spinal Fellowship with Mr Gerald Townes, Neurosurgeon and Professor Robert Dickson, Consultant Spinal Surgeon.

He was appointed Consultant / Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedics in February 1999 to the Royal Victoria Hospital and Queens University Belfast. During this period he conducted further research into Adult Trauma again publishing extensively. In addition he supervised undergraduate and post-graduate medical training.

He carried out a further fellowship in Spinal and General Adult Trauma in Sunnybrook Level 1 Trauma Centre in Toronto from 1999 to 2000. During this time he gained extensive exposure to Spinal and General Trauma in a busy North American centre, working with the world renowned Drs Marvin Tile and Dr Joe Schatzker – fathers of the AO system of Orthopaedics. Sunnybrook is also the regional centre in Ontario for Spinal Tumours.

On return from Canada he left his university commitments to concentrate on full-time clinical practice.

Having worked in the NHS for nearly thirty years he took Voluntary Early Retirement from his contract with the Belfast Trust. He continues to see and operate on NHS patients through Waiting List Initiative programmes. He was also appointed to the General Medical Councils (GMC) Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS).

Paul Nolan is a member of the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), the British Association of Spinal Surgeons (BASS) and the British Spinal Study Group (BSSG) and a Panellist on the General Medical Councils (GMC) Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS).

His main areas of interest are functional restoration, pain management and spinal injections, spinal trauma, adult low back conditions including disc degeneration, disc prolapse, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis.

Paul Nolan Medicolegal Experience

Paul Nolan has been preparing medicolegal reports since 1999.  He receives instructions from solicitors acting for the plaintiff and defendant in personal injury claims and medical negligence, preparing approximately 1000 reports a year.  He also receives instructions from Hospital Legal departments, employers, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).  He has received instruction in cases in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and the United States.  He has extensive experience giving evidence in the Coroners court, County court and High Court.  Paul Nolan sits on the General Medical Council (GMC) Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS) Fitness to Practice Tribunals assessing doctors whose practice may be impaired due to health, performance or criminal issues.

He has extensive experience in personal injury claims including whiplash-associated disorder (WAD), work related back injury and significant spinal and Orthopaedic injury.

He receives regular instruction in medical negligence claims acting for both the plaintiff and health trusts.  His particular areas of interest in medical negligence are cauda equina syndrome, missed spinal injury and complications arising from spinal surgery.  He has carried out an audit of senior spinal surgeons nationally in relation to current practice in management of cauda equina syndrome.

He has attended the Bond Salon Report Writing and Courtroom skills courses.  He has attended the Specialist Info Courses on Medicolegal Essentials, Clinical Negligence and Advanced Medicolegal Course.  He has also attended Expert Witness Training Courses in the Academy of Experts.  He has spoken widely to the Belfast Solicitors Association, the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the British Spinal Study Group.  Talks have included “How to get the best out of your medical expert.”  “Whiplash Associated Disorder”.  “It’s all in the Voice – How to Avoid the regulator and litigators.”  “Negligence and Beyond – The Dunning Kruger Effect on Medical Negligence.” “Cauda Equina – Current Guidelines”.

He is a founding member of the medico-legal continuing professional development group in Malone Medical Chambers Belfast and the GMC responsible officer for Malone Medical Chambers.

Business Development Manager – Miss Deirdre Finnegan

Malone Medical Chambers
Belfast, BT9 5LH
t: 02890 664082
m: 078 24192616
e: ulsterorthospine@paulnolanmd.co.uk

Office Opening Hours 
Monday – Saturday
10am – 5pm

GMC No: 3256048
BUPA Provider No: 03256048

Paul Nolan MLS Ltd NI065906
VAT Number – 912895110