Top 5 Rheumatologists in London
A rheumatologist is a specialist doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones. They're experts in managing autoimmune diseases and many musculoskeletal disorders. Auto-immune conditions are basically diseases where the body starts attacking itself.
At Surrey Physio, we do refer to rheumatologists to support the diagnosis and treatment of patients. In many cases, patients will have multi-joint problems. They’ll often have underlying rheumatoid conditions, or we may suspect they have a rheumatoid condition. In some cases, patients may have severe osteoporosis that requires medicalisation or advanced specialist support. Rheumatologists are key people in these cases.
Rheumatologists typically treat conditions such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Gout
- Scleroderma
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Vasculitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Certain autoimmune diseases, like Sjögren's syndrome or ankylosing spondylitis
Let’s look at our Top 5 Rheumatologists in London:
1. Rizwan Rajak - Shirley Oaks Hospital
Without doubt, one of the best rheumatologists in London. Working at Shirley Oaks Hospital, St. Anthony’s Hospital, Harley Street, and others. He completed his honours degree at Cardiff Medical School in 2005, followed by specialist training at the University Hospital of Wales. He later worked at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, specialising in musculoskeletal ultrasound and metabolic bone disease.
Dr Rajak serves as the clinical lead for Osteoporosis & Bone Health and Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Ultrasound at Croydon Health Service NHS Trust. In these roles, he's establishing an integrated bone health service and a diagnostic service for rheumatology musculoskeletal ultrasound. He's also co-leading the development of an Early Inflammatory Arthritis service with an emphasis on early diagnosis and treatment. He is also an expert in bone health, and specialises in osteoporosis, metabolic bone disorders, early rheumatoid arthritis, and he does Musculo-skeletal ultrasound to help with diagnosis. He also treats gout, fibromyalgia, and other inflammatory conditions.
Dr Rajak is a respected educator, with prior roles as Lead Clinical Tutor for Rheumatology at the University Hospital of Wales and Honorary Clinical Teacher at Cardiff University, earning him a teaching excellence award. Currently, he is the Course Director for Rheumatology at the University of South Wales, and a board member of the British Society of Rheumatology Education Committee.
You can contact the hospitals where he works: 25 Harley Street, St, Anthony's Hospital, North Downs Hospital, and Shirley Oaks Hospital by emailing his secreatry: rizwanrajak @ doctors.net.uk https://www.circlehealthgroup.co.uk/consultants/rizwan-rajak
2. Dr Dobrina Hull - New Victoria Hospital
Dr Dobrina Hull is a wonderful, highly experienced and compassionate rheumatologist working locally at Kingston Hospital and New Victoria Hospital with expertise in managing a wide range of rheumatological conditions including inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, spondyloarthropathies), osteoporosis and bone health, gout, osteoarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and connective tissue diseases. She strongly believes in taking an individualised approach using excellent communication skills and shared decision making with her patients to deliver outstanding care, ensuring timely diagnosis and effective treatment plans.
Dobrina studied Medicine at the University of Oxford and has been awarded a number of scholarships and prizes during her training. She has worked at some of the UK’s leading specialist centres, including Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, St George’s Hospital and Imperial College Healthcare Trust which has given her extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of rheumatological conditions. She undertook a clinical research fellowship and was awarded a PhD in 2014 from the University of London which developed her specialist interest in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis and biological therapies.
Alongside her clinical work, she maintains a strong interest in clinical research and is Principal Investigator on several clinical research studies. She is committed to improving services for people with rheumatic conditions and is leading on a number of projects within Kingston Hospital and the South West London region to improve and develop rheumatology provision.
For enquiries or to book an appointment please contact dhull.pa @ privatecare.health or the New Victoria Hospital on 0208 949 9000. Dobrina welcomes both self-referrals or insured patients.
3. Dr Ajai Seth - London Bridge Hospital
Dr Seth is a sports medicine doctor based at HCA at the Shard, in London Bridge. He is a highly accomplished Consultant specialising in Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation Medicine. His areas of expertise encompass musculoskeletal injury, the mechanics of running, injuries related to racket sports, football and rugby, chronic fatigue syndrome, and groin pain. His professional responsibilities include serving as part of the British Tennis, LTA medical team.
He possesses advanced training in musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging diagnostics and therapeutic injections, such as steroid, high volume, PRP, and prolotherapy. His skill set also extends to shock wave therapy.
Dr Seth takes a team-oriented approach to patient care, collaborating closely with a multidisciplinary team to ensure individualized, empathetic treatment. He is a firm believer in the significance of accurate initial diagnosis for optimal patient care and considers physical activity to be the most effective rehabilitation method.
In addition to his clinical roles, Dr Seth holds several prestigious positions. He is the President of the Royal Society of Medicine Sports Medicine, an Executive Board Member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM), and the Clinical Chairman for Circle Integrated Care. His professional commitments also include a consultancy role in Sport and Exercise Medicine at Headley Court DMRC, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defence.
4. Are you one of London’s Top Rheumatologists? If yes, contact tim at surreyphysio.co.uk and let us know about your skills.
5. Are you one of London’s Top Rheumatologists? If yes, contact tim at surreyphysio.co.uk and let us know about your skills.
When would I need to see a rheumatologist?
- You have persistent joint or muscle pain: This could be a sign of an inflammatory process or a degenerative condition that requires a consultant rheumatologist to review/diagnose.
- You've been diagnosed with a rheumatic disease: Rheumatic diseases can be complex and require specialist management to control symptoms and prevent disease progression.
- Your GP recommends it: If your symptoms are complex, your GP might refer you to a rheumatologist for a more specialised evaluation.
- You have symptoms suggestive of an autoimmune disease: These might include bilateral joint pains, fatigue, fever, rash, and swelling, or issues involving your eyes, skin, or other organs.
Rheumatologists and physios work very well together. We typically support the patients as part of a multi-disciplinary team and we support patients to rehab under the guidance of rheumatologists.
(Therapists, osteopaths, sports therapists, chiropractors reading this page… if you love the exercises here, then please check out the amazing exercise prescription tool www.rehabmypatient.com. You can sign up for a free 14-day trial, and it’s affordable to buy, with pricing starting from £11.23 per month.
If you are a patient, in pain, or suffering with rheumatoid issues please call us to discuss your case further. Surrey Physio have an amazing team of therapists to help you recover from pain, and get you back to living a normal life. Call us on 0208 685 6930 or click the link at the top to book online. If you see one of the surgeons on this page, please mention Surrey Physio to them – thank you).