Dr Gulam Patel

Dr Gulam Patel trained at Cambridge & London Universities from 1981-87.  Following General Medical training he underwent six years of Rheumatology specialisation at hospitals linked to the South London Rheumatology Training Programme.  He has over 35 years of medical experience, with the last 22 years as a Consultant in Rheumatology at Ashford & St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) and in private practice.  Dr Patel specialises in General Rheumatology and his clinical practice remains the most gratifying element of his working life.  He uses a system of diagnostic problem-based clinical management and he has a breadth of experience in a wide range of conditions (see below).  With his many years of involvement in General Medicine, he relishes diagnostic conundrums, especially those which overlap between Rheumatology & General Internal Medicine such as fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia and pain conditions. His expertise and leadership skills have been recognised by ASPH through his appointment as Clinical Lead for Rheumatology, a post he has held since 2020. He practices a holistic approach with an emphasis on history and examination, combined with the most appropriate tests, to reach a diagnosis and a management plan.  As a traditional physician with a modern approach, he combines courtesy and compassion for the concerns & needs of the patient, with an evidence-based approach to treatment.  He ensures that they are well-informed and have the opportunity to be fully involved in a bespoke care plan, tailored & personalised for the individual.  The secretarial service is prompt and highly responsive with the opportunity for contact via telephone, text message and email.  They always strive to make appointments available, at short notice if required, at a time that suits the patient at one of the private practice clinics. His passion for education has been recognised by the award of the prestigious Teaching Excellence Award from Imperial College.  More recently he was awarded Imperial College Principal Clinical Teacher status in recognition of his continuing efforts to raise the bar on teaching and assessment of medical students.  He is currently Clinical Lead for Undergraduate Medicine which combines the roles of Director of Clinical Studies at Imperial College with Undergraduate Sub-Dean at St Georges, University of London where he is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education.  In addition, he is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London. His contribution to high quality healthcare has been recognised by the award of three Clinical Excellence Awards. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2007.

Throughout his career he has maintained an interest in healthcare quality improvement through audit, research and education.  His two most recent research publications are: Clinical Sarcoma Research (2020) - Paraneoplastic dermatomyositis associated with metastatic leiomyosarcoma of unknown primary Annals of Internal Medicine (2024) - Pain Reduction With Oral Methotrexate in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial His special clinical interests are osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory joint disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis & psoriatic arthritis, joint & soft tissue injection therapy, fibromyalgia, hypermobility, tendonitis, crystal arthritis including gout & pseudogout, neck & back pain, ankylosing spondylitis, connective tissue disorders such as systemic lupus, scleroderma, myositis & Sjogren's syndrome and sports injuries.