The Team

Rheumatology:

Professor John Axford is a Consultant in Adult and Paediatric Rheumatology and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Rheumatology at St George's, University of London. He specialises in all aspects of musculoskeletal disease in adults and children ranging from joint and back pain to autoimmune inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Professor Patricia Woo CBE is Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Rheumatology at University College London. Although Prof Woo has retired from clinical practice she continues to be an LRC educator and provides clinical advice.

Dr Sangita Agarwal is a Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals. She has experience in all aspects of Rheumatology and her practice covers the breadth of musculoskeletal conditions.

Her specialist interests include inflammatory back pain and chest problems associated with rheumatic disease. She offers a personalised approach to suit each individual patient.

Dr Vijay Hajela is a Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals. He has been a consultant for 18 years and his background as a physician helps with the diagnosis and management of pain in the context of other medical disorders. He specialises in polymyalgia/giant cell arteritis, autoimmune rheumatic disease and osteoporosis.

Dr Muthana Al Obaidi is a Paediatric Rheumatology Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital and a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH). His clinical interests are juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal pain in children and young people.

Radiology:

Dr Syed Babar is a Consultant Radiologist at the Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St Mary’s Hospitals (Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust) and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London. Dr Babar has expertise in musculoskeletal MRI, CT and various ultrasound and CT guided injection techniques, and has links with many cricket, tennis, football and rugby clubs. He is also the imaging consultant for Isokinetic, the only sports medicine and orthopaedic rehabilitation centre recognised by FIFA in London.

Dr Nikolaos Papadakos is a Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist based at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

He specialises in all aspects of musculoskeletal imaging including orthopaedic, rheumatological, sports injury, spinal and image-guided musculoskeletal treatments.

He completed his undergraduate medical training at St Georges Hospital and undertook specialist musculoskeletal radiology training at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College NHS Trust and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.

Dr Anshul Rastogi is a Consultant Radiologist at St George's Hospital, London with a special interest in musculoskeletal imaging and intervention.

Anshul trained in Radiology at Bart’s and the Royal London Hospitals where he specialised in musculoskeletal imaging and followed through this interest by undertaking a fellowship at the University of Toronto including Toronto Western, Mount Sinai, St Michael's and SickKids Hospitals, and has got wide experience in all aspects of rheumatological, orthopaedic and sports injury imaging.

He is involved in postgraduate training at St George's, has wide research experience with several national, international presentations and publications.

Dr Derek Svasti-Salee is a Specialist Musculoskeletal Radiologist covering all aspects of imaging techniques. He provides a comprehensive image-guided injection service based on a multidisciplinary approach. In order to achieve this he participates regularly in Physiotherapy, Orthopaedic and Rheumatology multidisciplinary meetings and has a busy NHS and private practice.

He has developed close links with allied clinicians in musculoskeletal services within south west London having worked over 10 years as a consultant in this area.

Physiotherapy:

Deborah Earl qualified from Brunel University in 2001 before taking up a post at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where she specialised in treating musculoskeletal disorders. She remained there until 2009 and then made the move to the private sector and Parkside Hospital.

Debbie has since completed an Msc in Sports and Exercise Rehabilitation and is particularly interested in exercise based therapy and keeping people active whatever their age or ability. Her specialist area is lower limb injuries. Debbie loves watching and taking part in anything to do with sport and exercise. She has completed two marathons and cycles to and from work every day, whatever the weather! Debbie is very passionate about her role at Parkside Hospital and says that the best part of her job is seeing patients meet their goals and knowing that she had a part to play in this.

Abby Armstrong qualified as a Physiotherapist in 2003 from the University of Southampton and has specialised in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. Areas of special interest are Women’s Health and Osteoporosis. Abby currently runs a Bone Health Pilates class which focuses on posture, strength and balance in weight bearing positions. Treatments may include exercise, manual therapy acupuncture, soft tissue release and advice.

Psychiatry:

Dr Justin Sauer is a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in London. He is specialised in areas of General Adult and Old Age Psychiatry. He has held senior positions in his NHS Trust including Clinical Director and Clinical Lead. Dr Sauer works closely with the LRC team and has an interest in supporting people managing chronic physical health conditions which can take a significant emotional toll.

Dietetics:

Lynda Mallinson, BSC Dietetics, PG Dip Diet, IFMCP

Lynda has worked with the London Rheumatology Clinic since 2012 as part of an integrated approach to patient care. Lynda uses her wide breadth of experience in dietetics and functional medicine to treat patients with a wide range of conditions including (but not exclusive to) hyperuricemia (gout), rheumatoid, osteoporosis, osteoarthritic, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Lynda practices functional medicine which is a new scientific model of care, specifically suited to the management of chronic disease. It addresses the root causes which derive from lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, and genetic influences. It works on the premise that a whole host of chronic disease can stem from one imbalance in the body. When the root cause of chronic disease is treated, the symptoms will be alleviated, enabling positive patient outcomes and better ‘wellness’ for those who engage with their plan.

London Dietitians

Bridgette Wilson PhD, RD, MSc (Hons), PgDip, BSc

Bridgette has worked with London Dietitians since 2015, and has extensive experience in both clinical and research dietetics. With a PhD from King’s College London, that covered the dietary management of gastrointestinal disorders and inflammation, she is well placed to give expert advice on a wide range of gut-related health issues and is an advocate of evidence-based nutrition.

Lynda and Bridgette work closely together to match referrals according to the most appropriate dietetic expertise and specialisms, and each patient is treated on a case-by-case basis. This reflects a philosophy of personalized care where the most suitable dietitian spends time assessing medical and nutritional history before any treatment plan is agreed upon. The patient is heavily engaged in the process, and may be asked to complete a pre-consultation questionnaire and food diary so the first appointment can be as productive as possible.

Following the session, we will share findings with the Consultant or GP summarizing findings and recommendations made, along with regular updates on patient progress.

Podiatry:

Sophie Roberts (nee Cox) qualified with a BSc (Hons) in 1998 from the University of Brighton as a podiatrist and completed her MSc in 2009. (After qualifying, Sophie worked in Canada at the University of British Columbia Sports Medicine Clinic for four years where her exposure to biomechanics gained her valuable experience.) Sophie is dedicated to her clinical work and has a wealth of experience in the podiatric management of biomechanical, rheumatological and neurological foot disorders. She lectures regularly in podiatric biomechanics, gait analysis and orthotic management, and has a special interest in hypermobility.

London Dietitians

Amanda Walker (nee Thomas) Amanda completed her training at Salford University in 1997 with a BSc (Hons) in Podiatry and has worked in both the NHS and in private practice since qualifying. She has extensive clinical experience in all aspects of podiatric biomechanics and has an interest in podiatric sports medicine, rheumatology and Richie Brace prescription. She also has a special interest in hypermobility.

London Dietitians

Administration:

Mrs Angela Trusson provides the liaison between the patient and the insurance provider. She makes sure that everything runs smoothly and provides solutions when they are required.

Mrs Julia Steed: LRC secretary. Julia has a pivotal role in the administration and smooth-running of the LRC office.

Mrs Carolyn Wyndham orchestrates all London Rheumatology activity across all the sites. She makes sure that patients have an appointment that suits them, that there is efficient liaison between clinics, and that patient questions are answered promptly. Carolyn also coordinates our education service where regular talks are given to family practitioners and other clinicians.

Just a few of the consultants with whom we collaborate:

  • Mr Amit Amin
  • Professor William Ayliffe
  • Dr Tamara Basarab
  • Mr John Beare
  • Mr Lloyd Bender
  • Mr Jason Bernard
  • Mr Tim Bishop
  • Mr Simon Bridle
  • Mr Matthew Crocker
  • Mr Damian Fahy
  • Mr Adrian Fairbank
  • Dr Sam Firoozi
  • Mr David Gateley
  • Dr Simon Kemp
  • Dr Andrew Nicolaou
  • Mr Neel Mohan
  • Dr Malcolm Prentice
  • Dr Joanna Sheldon
  • Dr Malcolm Walker
  • Mr Peter Williamson
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Foot/Ankle Surgeon
  • Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
  • Consultant Dermatologist
  • Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
  • Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmic Surgeon
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon, Wimbledon Clinics
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon, Wimbledon Clinics
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Hip/Knee Surgeon
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon, Wimbledon Clinics
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon, Fortius Clinic
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Knee Surgeon, Wimbledon Clinics
  • Consultant Cardiologist
  • Consultant Plastic Surgeon
  • Consultant Sports Physician
  • Consultant in Pain Management
  • Consultant in Paediatric Orthopaedics
  • Consultant Endocrinologist
  • Consultant Immunopathologist, St George’s Hospital
  • Consultant Cardiologist, University College Hospital
  • Consultant ENT Surgeon