About Lily

 
Dr. Lily Lai

Dr. Lily Lai

  • PhD Herbal Medicine in Primary Care (University of Southampton)

  • BSc (Hons) Traditional Chinese Medicine (Middlesex University)

  • Bachelor of Medicine (Beijing) TCM (Beijing University)

Clinical and Academic Associations with:

Fully registered and insured

My specialism is in offering natural solutions to health problems and I'm passionate about helping patients achieve their absolute best when it comes to health. 

Patients consistently value the whole-systems approach to health that I incorporate into each treatment and the attention to detail I provide to every patient. I’m an advocate for integrative medicine and am proud to have built a reputation over the last 18 years as a trusted expert in the field who works closely and collaboratively with other healthcare practitioners.

A little about me

I grew up in Cheshire and having parents from Hong Kong, I have always been surrounded by traditional Chinese views of health. Whenever I had a cough, foods like roast dinners and hot spices like chilli and ginger were to be avoided. If I had a stomach ache, rice congee with tangerine peel and hot drinks would be there to nurse my stomach back to health. My uncle was himself a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner based in Manchester Chinatown and whilst I’d always been interested in health, it wasn’t until I was 17 that I became serious about it as a career when my late father was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. The chemotherapy was working brilliantly for him at the time, but he was suffering from some terrible side-effects. My uncle came to the rescue and after treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, my dad was himself again within a matter of weeks and able to tolerate the chemotherapy for many more years.

I was inspired by the strength of this gentle yet powerful medicine working alongside mainstream medicine - and so began my journey into Chinese medicine!

CLINICAL AND academic background

I first qualified in 2005 with a double degree in traditional Chinese medicine awarded jointly by Middlesex University (London) and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. I was then sponsored by the NHS and NIHR to conduct PhD medical research and was awarded my PhD in 2015 by the University of Southampton Primary Care department for my clinical research into the effects of Chinese herbs for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This was published in BMJ Open and further NHS funding has been awarded to continue work in this important area of health research.  

I’ve now been in private practice for over 19 years and am particularly well known for my expertise in women’s health and hormonal conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis and fertility issues, especially alongside IVF. I first established my practice in Hertfordshire before moving back to Cheshire and working in Hale in Altrincham, Cheshire.  Since 2010, I've worked with GPs and health researchers to develop more scientific evidence for herbal medicine, an area that is seriously under-researched in the UK despite the widespread use of herbal medicine.

I believe strongly in the importance of raising the quality and awareness of the evidence-base for acupuncture and Chinese medicine. This has included working with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to review complementary medicine approaches for chronic pelvic pain. I am a visiting research fellow at the University of Southampton, a member of the prestigious research-intensive Russell Group, and have presented at over 80 national and international conferences and co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications relating to PCOS, chronic pelvic pain, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and Western herbal medicine. I also thoroughly enjoy engaging with local communities by presenting talks and seminars to local healthcare groups, schools and patient support groups and in raising awareness about health conditions in general, as well as specifically about acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

In April 2020 I was the research lead for the Jadescreen Project (JSP), a not-for-profit venture established to offer free Chinese herbal medicine to frontline workers affected by COVID-19. I am currently involved in a range of academic projects including an update to guidelines regarding the evidence of inositol for PCOS (University of Western Sydney and Harvard University), a systematic review of acupuncture for PCOS and acting as a supervisor to/expert panel member of two PhD projects on acupuncture and PCOS with the University of Western Sydney, and the importance of the consultation process in Chinese medicine with Kings College London.

I currently teach undergraduate and Masters students at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York, White Crane Academy in London and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in China on evidence-based medicine, philosophy and prescribing Chinese herbal medicine and am really proud to work as a mentor for acupuncture and Chinese medicine practitioners.

 

CLINICAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

I've gained clinical experience working in a range of private and NHS settings including:

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

I'm registered and insured with the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ATCM) and the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM).  This ensures that I adhere to professional standards of ethical conduct, hygiene, sterilisation and safety in the practice of Chinese medicine.  I prescribe Chinese herbal medicines only from RCHM-approved suppliers who must meet minimum quality and safety standards and pass rigorous inspection procedures from independent auditors.  

I am a practitioner member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), a leading research organisation for reproductive and gynaecological medical specialists. I am also listed on the Acupuncturists Register for Herts and Essex Fertility Centre and Mount Vernon Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre in Hertfordshire.  Besides my private practice, I have also previously volunteered with Mind in Dacorum, a mental health charity based in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.

Lily is inspiring, authentic and an expert in her field! She empowers a person to take better control of their health without being intrusive. 

Physiotherapist