Weight loss specialist team

Our multidisciplinary team-led approach to care ensures that our patients have access to the appropriate specialist whenever they are required. Our consultant surgeons are joined by specialist bariatric nurses, a dietitian, psychologist and specialist anaesthetists, at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals - Murrayfield and Shawfair Park.

For more information please see our consultant profiles below.

Mr Andrew de Beaux

Mr Peter Lamb

Mr Bruce Tulloh

Our support team consists of a specialist bariatric nurse, a specialist dietitian and a chartered clinical psychologist.

Lorna Hunter
Specialist bariatric nurse

Lorna Hunter joined Spire Murrayfield in 1990 and was integral in the establishment of the weight loss service in 2007. Lorna will be involved in your care throughout consultation, pre-assessment, treatment and aftercare.

Lorna will be one of your first points of contact on your weight loss journey with Weight-loss Surgery Scotland. She will facilitate all ongoing appointments at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals to ensure you meet the right member of our multidisciplinary team, at the right time. While providing expert advice and support, she will also carry out clinical pre-operative assessments. Lorna will remain a close point of contact throughout your stay with us and following discharge, remaining contactable daily for advice and further information.

Dr Fred Pender
Lead specialist dietitian

Dr Pender is an experienced and dedicated dietitian with a longstanding interest in overweight and obesity. He has significant experience in managing patient weight conservatively, through diet and lifestyle re-modelling, by negotiating with the patient a tailored adjustment of food and fluid intake together with promotion of a healthy lifestyle. 

More recently he has been appointed to Lead Specialist Dietitian for weight-loss associated with the bariatric service at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals. Here he helps patients prepare for weight-loss surgery and adjust to the various procedures during the immediate peri-operative period and post-operative follow up. He is especially concerned with the patient’s food and eating experiences pre- and post-surgery and supports patients practically as their diets progress over a period of time towards healthy eating.  

Carol Sutherland
Chartered Clinical Psychologist

Carol is a fully Chartered Clinical Psychologist working as part of the Spire Edinburgh Hospitals weight-loss service. Every patient who requests to be considered for this type of surgery is assessed by a number of professionals to ensure best practice is followed. Following an initial meeting with a consultant or nurse, an appointment is made to undergo a full psychological assessment. This involves a structured interview and a set of questionnaires, all of which are important in helping to decide whether surgery would be appropriate and beneficial. Any potential difficulties are identified and, where possible, solutions sought. At the end of the meeting, Carol will, if appropriate, indicate that she is either happy to support your request for surgery, or explain that she has concerns, which she will discuss with other members of our multidisciplinary team. The final decision for surgery will be made within this group.

If you'd like to find out more about weight loss surgery and what options may be available to you, why not make a free, no-obligation appointment to meet one of our specialist nurses? 

Contact our self pay team on 0131 316 2507 to book your free appointment.