Overcome Pain and Get Back into Life

Following undergraduate medical training at the University of Adelaide, Associate Professor Tillman Boesel moved to NSW in 1996, where he worked as a junior doctor at Liverpool Hospital. He subsequently qualified as a specialist anaesthetist through Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s training scheme. Following his appointment as a staff specialist at the Nepean Hospital in 2004, he undertook further advanced training in pain medicine with a special focus on interventional treatments with Professor Raj Sundaraj.

Associate Professor Boesel has held an academic appointment at Macquarie University’s Australian School of Advanced Medicine since 2007. In addition to his academic position, he currently practices at Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Neurosurgery, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Nepean Private Hospital; with private consulting in Penrith, North Ryde and Newtown.

His special interests include neuropathic pain, interventional pain management and medical education.

Northern Beaches Pain Management was founded by Associate Professor Timothy Hucker, a highly qualified pain specialist with specific expertise in back and neck pain, joint related pain, nerve pain, pelvic pain and cancer-related pain.

A/Prof Hucker completed his medical training in the UK at the University of London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals before specialising in Anaesthetics. He subsequently trained in Pain Medicine in London (St George’s Hospital) and Sydney (Royal Prince Alfred), as well as undertaking fellowships in palliative care, paediatric & adult intensive care and regional anaesthesia.

In 2011 A/Prof Hucker moved to Australia permanently to take up a Fellowship position at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital before becoming a Consultant Pain Specialist and Anaesthetist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Epworth Group Hospitals.  A/Prof Hucker went on to become the Clinical Lead for Pain at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, as well as working at the Cabrini Group Hospitals, before moving to Sydney to open Northern Beaches Pain Management in 2021.

In addition to being a Pain Specialist, A/Prof Hucker is an examiner for future pain specialists at the Faculty of Pain Medicine, an adviser for the Faculty of Pain Medicine on interventional pain management, a lecturer at Monash University, a published author of scientific papers and book chapters on Pain Medicine, and till 2022 the Chair of the working party for adult cancer pain management guidelines at the Cancer Council Australia. A/Prof Hucker also lectures at national and state conferences on cancer and chronic pain management.

Dr Michael Zhao is a dual-fellowship-trained Interventional Pain Specialist with extensive experience in managing complex acute and chronic pain conditions. After earning his MBBS from Tianjin Medical University in 2005, he immigrated to Australia in 2006, where he further advanced his training across multiple disciplines, including Emergency Medicine, General Practice, and Pain Medicine.

Dr Zhao holds a Diploma of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and Fellowships with both the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP-RG) and the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FFPMANZCA). He is formally endorsed by the FPM Executive Committee for procedural pain management competency.

With a strong foundation in anaesthesiology and procedural medicine, Dr Zhao specialises in a comprehensive range of fluoroscopy- and ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures, including radiofrequency ablation, epidural injections, sympathetic blocks, and neuromodulation therapies such as spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation.

Dr Zhao is passionate about delivering patient-centred, evidence-based care by integrating interventional techniques within a broader multidisciplinary approach. His areas of special interest include Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), spinal pain and the integration of cognitive-behavioural strategies into chronic pain management.

Known for his procedural precision and compassionate care, Dr Zhao remains committed to ongoing education, research, and collaboration to optimise outcomes for patients living with persistent pain.

We take time to understand your situation fully. That means your medical, physical, emotional, and social situation. This helps us design an approach that reflects who you are and what you need most.

A plan that is unique to you and focuses on getting you back into life by effectively managing pain.

We believe that to help you we need to understand your full situation, By doing so we can develop a treatment plan that works across your whole life. 

Our medical team works collaboratively to ensure you receive the very best medical care, safely and effectively, while supporting your overall treatment plan.

Our tailored physiotherapy and movement programs help restore strength, mobility, and confidence. We focus on gradual progress and long-term wellbeing rather than quick fixes.

We want you to have the knowledge and tools to manage pain independently. Understanding your condition is the first step to lasting change.

We also know that pain affects more than the body. Our psychologists help you build practical strategies for managing pain, improving sleep, and reducing stress — so you can get back to what matters.