Miss Rachel Clough

Miss Rachel Clough is a Consultant Vascular Surgeon, founder of the Welbeck Vascular Surgery Unit, and one of London's leading specialists in the treatment of varicose veins, thread veins and venous disease.

Alongside her private practice at Welbeck, Rachel works as a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, where she provides specialist vascular care within one of the UK's leading NHS vascular services.

Rachel personally performs the full range of modern vein treatments, including endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), foam sclerotherapy, microsclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy. These minimally invasive procedures are typically performed under local anaesthetic, enabling patients to walk immediately afterwards and return rapidly to normal activities.

Patients commonly see Rachel for visible varicose veins and thread veins, aching or heavy legs, leg swelling, skin changes around the ankle, superficial thrombophlebitis, venous ulceration and concerns about the appearance of leg veins. Following a detailed consultation and specialist ultrasound assessment, she develops an individualised treatment plan tailored to each patient's symptoms, lifestyle and goals, with a focus on excellent clinical results and natural-looking cosmetic outcomes.

Rachel has been an NHS doctor for over 20 years, qualifying from Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine. She completed her vascular surgical training at leading London centres, including the Royal Brompton, Guy's and St Thomas' and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and held a prestigious NIHR Academic Clinical Lectureship. She gained advanced training in minimally invasive vascular techniques in France and in the USA as a Harvard Exchange Scholar. She is recognised for her expertise in minimally invasive vein treatments and regularly trains vascular surgeons from the UK and internationally in advanced venous intervention techniques.

Alongside her clinical practice, Rachel is a Director of the national NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine and she has advised the Department of Health and Social Care's Chief Medical Officer on healthcare innovation and patient safety.

She holds a first class undergraduate degree and PhD in biomedical engineering. She has secured over £8.7 million in research funding, authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and is the inventor of a patented medical technology that has progressed to clinical use. Her research focuses on evaluating and safely introducing new vascular technologies into clinical practice, for which she has won awards in the UK, Europe and the US. This work ensures her patients benefit from treatments informed by the latest clinical evidence, technological innovation and advances in vascular care.

Patients value Rachel's meticulous attention to detail, clear communication and commitment to outstanding care. She takes the time to ensure every patient feels informed, comfortable and confident throughout their treatment journey.

Patient testimonials

"Rachel took the time to explain everything clearly and made me feel involved in every decision about my treatment."

"I felt listened to, supported and completely reassured throughout my treatment."

"From my very first appointment, I felt confident I was in expert hands. Rachel was kind, thorough and reassuring throughout."