Professor Nikhil Patel is an experienced Senior Consultant Cardiologist, practicing at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT).
He studied medicine at the Guy’s Hospital Medical School, part of the University of London, qualifying in 1989 with an MB BS. Professor Patel conducted his cardiology training at King’s College Hospital in London (1992-1993), followed by the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford (1993), Guys Hospital (1994-96), St Thomas’ Hospital (1997-98), and Eastbourne District General Hospital (1998).
In 1999, he was appointed as the youngest Consultant Cardiologist in the country and now works mainly as a consultant at ESHT where he is the Deputy Chief of Medicine and Cardiovascular lead (stroke, diabetes and cardiology). He is a visiting Consultant Cardiologist at both Guy’s and St Thomas Trust and the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.
Professor Patel specialises in general cardiology including chest pain, heart failure, hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation and syncope). His sub-specialty expertise lies in complex pacing including cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), internal cardiac defibrillators (ICD) and coronary intervention (coronary angioplasty and stenting). He has pioneered new technologies with his eminent colleagues in East Sussex and many of these have been featured in the media.
Professor Patel undertakes a range of educational roles, overseeing training programmes in the Kent Surrey and Sussex School of Medicine. He has co supervised higher research degrees at Msc and PhD level and continues to undertake research into cardiac devices management, heart valve disease, exercise heart function, and areas of clinical cardiology. In 2013 he was awarded a National Silver Award in recognition of his contribution to the health service.
He was elected as Chair of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Academic Board in 2019.