Dr Vinay Kumar Bhatia

Practising at

Spire Tunbridge Wells Hospital

Treatment information

Some of the principal treatments carried out by Dr Vinay Kumar Bhatia at Spire include:

Cardiology

• Contrast echo
• Stress echocardiogram
• Exercise electrocardiogram
• ECG monitoring or event recorder - 24/48 hour

Other treatments

Professional profile

I grew up locally in Kent and attended the Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School. I qualified in medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London (1994). I formally trained in general medicine and cardiology (for 15 years in total) in London at hospitals that included the Hammersmith Hospital (Imperial College); the Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital. This training included three years in basic science research at Imperial College, London for which I was awarded a PhD in 2005. I was appointed Consultant Cardiologist at Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in 2009. I am based at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury. My expertise is in the field of cardiac imaging and specifically trans-thoracic, trans-oesophageal echocardiographic techniques and stress echocardiography (both with exercise and with pharmacological stress agents).

I am a Consultant Cardiologist which is a specially trained doctor dealing with health problems relating to your heart and circulation. I am proud to mainly practice in the NHS, but I am also well aware of the constraints on consultation times and waiting times for many tests and procedures. This is not always best suited for some patients who need more time for a doctor to listen to the various issues in their health, and greater in depth discussion and explanation about why and how we carry out cardiac investigations in order to provide either an explanation (diagnosis) for their symptoms or at very least reassurance and peace of mind. The set up at Spire Tunbridge Wells Hospital includes an efficient, responsive and flexible booking team and we take feedback from our patients very seriously so as to constantly keep the service up to date and on the cutting edge of clinical excellence.

The tests that I perform and provide an expert opinion include: treadmill stress testing, trans-thoracic echocardiography, contrast enhanced echocardiography, diagnostic coronary angiography, trans-oesophageal echocardiography, electrocardiographic and holter monitoring analysis.

I perform, supervise and review about 1,000 trans-thoracic echocardiograms per year. I perform, supervise and review over 500 stress echocardiograms per year. I am the consultant in charge and involved in the care of over 1,000 patients in total per year.

I am the clinical lead for echocardiography and clinical lead for cardiac services 2017 at Tunbridge Wells Hospital. I am the professional clinical lead for this service at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Spire Tunbridge Wells Hospital. I am accredited by the British Society of Echocardiography for which I also serve as a training supervisor and examiner. I am also the clinical governance lead for specialist medicine (Tunbridge Wells Hospital). Clinical governance is a systematic approach to maintaining and improving the quality of patient care within a health system (NHS).

Qualification and professional memberships

BSc (Hons) / University of London / 1991
Neurosciences - Neurophysiology

MBBS / Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital, University of London / 1994
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

PhD / Imperial College (London) / 2005
Vascular Biology & Immunology

FRCP / London / 2012
Royal College of Physicians of London

Professional memberships

British Society of Cardiovascular Medicine
British Society of Echocardiography (BSE)
Royal College of Physicians of London (Fellow)

Professional leadership

Clinical Lead for Echocardiography at Tunbridge Wells Hospital
Clinical Governance Lead for Specialist Medicine (Tunbridge Wells Hospital)
Clinical Lead for Cardiac Services, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trusts

Current NHS posts

Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury (Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust)

Kings College Hospital, London (Hon. Consultant - visiting)

Research and Publication

My formal training included three years in Basic Science Research at Imperial College, London for which I was awarded a PhD in 2007. The research involved investigating and discovering novel pathways in the way our immune system is linked with the complex processes that cause coronary artery disease. I presented my research findings at a meeting in Cambridge University and subsequently published in a peer reviewed scientific journal. This period of my training taught me many skills and disciplines that have stood me good stead for my career as a Consultant Cardiologist.

Articles

Contrast echocardiography: evidence for clinical use.

Complement C1q reduces early atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.

Darwin and the survival of the fittest in modern interventional cardiology.

Private contact details