Practising at
Clinic times
An initial consultation with Mr Andrew Irwin is from £200.
Mr Andrew Irwin
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
MB BCh, FRCS Ed (Orth)
Specialises in
- Shoulder arthroscopy
- Stabilisation and replacement surgery
- Rotator cuff repair
- Tennis elbow
My main clinical interests are in arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) of the shoulder and elbow. The most common conditions I treat include shoulder instability (dislocations), frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, impingement and acromioclavicular joint arthritis/degeneration and all sports injuries of the shoulder and elbow. I perform joint replacement for shoulder and elbow arthritis including joint resurfacing and total joint replacement including both standard and reverse polarity arthroplasties (“the reverse shoulder replacement”).
My undergraduate medical training was in South Africa, followed by 10 years of postgraduate orthopaedic training in Bristol, Aberdeen, Stanmore and Oswestry. I completed a shoulder fellowship in Toronto, Canada prior to becoming a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at West Herts NHS Trust in 1997, a post I held for over 20 years.
Throughout my life I have loved playing and watching sport and I understand the frustrations felt by sports people when injury affects their ability to take part in their sport.
Another large part of my practice is advising patients as they get older with aching joints that may require joint replacement. Within my NHS role I am responsible for training higher surgical trainees and I am a member of the North West Thames Training Rotation Committee.
My practice is divided between advising patients as they get older with aching joints and advising younger people with joint injuries and pain, often from sport or their weekend hobbies such as skiing, tennis, weightlifting and cycling.
Within my NHS role I was responsible for training higher surgical trainees and I was a member of the North West Thames Training Rotation Committee. I regularly attend specialty conferences (several times a year) relating to upper limb surgery which keeps me up to date.
General Medical Council Number: C3161401
Treatment information
Some of the principal treatments carried out by Mr Andrew Irwin at Spire include:
Orthopaedics
- Shoulder arthroscopy
- Shoulder replacement surgery
- Rotator cuff repair
- Joint manipulation treatment
- Joint pain treatment (joint injections)
- Shoulder stabilisation
- Ganglion removal surgery
- Dupuytren's contracture
Get in touch
Important information about Covid-19 tests
Spire Harpenden Hospital is only able to provide Covid-19 tests to patients undergoing surgery at our hospital. Covid-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service.
Additional information
Clinical interests
Elbow surgery
Shoulder surgery
Special clinical interests: Diagnosis and investigation of shoulder, elbow and wrist pain, arthroscopic (keyhole) shoulder surgery for shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability (dislocation), frozen shoulder and sports related injuries of the upper limb. Shoulder and elbow pain, shoulder and elbow stiffness, hand and wrist pain and lumps and bumps.
Qualification and professional memberships
MB BCh / Witwatersrand University, South Africa / 1984
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, (FRCS Ed)
FRCS Ed (Orth) / Royal College of Surgeons London / 1996
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in Orthopaedics
CCST / UK / 1997
Certificate of Completion of UK specialist training
Professional memberships
Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Contact information
| Telephone | 0800 585 112 |
| Website | http://www.shoulder.co.uk |
| Private secretary | Mrs Val Holland |
| Private secretary telephone | 07858 644 862 |
| Private secretary email | airwinsec@outlook.com |