Professor Patel qualified from Glasgow University with Honours in medicine in 1997. He also undertook a BSc in Immunology during his undergraduate years and achieved a 1st class Honours in 1994. His training has mostly been in the west of Scotland with his house officer and registrar rotations in this region. He has also undertaken periods of training in Western Australia, London and Southampton.

Professor Patel was appointed as a consultant physician in general and respiratory medicine at the University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire in 2009. He looks after general medical and respiratory inpatients and participates regularly in the acute medical on call rota. Within respiratory medicine, his specialist interests include asthma, COPD and sleep apnoea diagnosis. He has experience in all respiratory disorders including other areas such as cough, breathlessness, wheezing, chest infections and people coughing up blood. He regularly looks after these conditions and patients with diseases such as bronchiectasis, lung cancer and interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis) on the wards and in outpatients. 

Professor Patel completed a PhD in asthma immunology with the support of a Medical Research Council Research Fellowship. As well as obtaining publications from this work, he was also awarded the British Lung Foundation Young Investigator’s Award at the British Thoracic Society Meeting, London, in 2005 and the Bellahouston Medal (best postgraduate thesis submitted to Glasgow University) in 2006. After being appointed as a consultant, he was awarded a NHS Research Scotland Fellowship (Chief Scientific Office) which has facilitated his clinical research into airways disease and lung cancer screening. He has been the principal investigator (PI) in over 50 clinical trials looking into COPD and asthma, as well a being the NHS Lanarkshire PI for an early lung cancer screening study (ECLS). During COVID-19, Professor Patel was the PI in several COVID-19 clinical trials including RECOVERY and PHOSP-COVID.

Professor Patel has an active interest in teaching and training. He was previously a Lead Clinical Trainer for the Medical Education Department in NHS Lanarkshire and regularly taught lab-skilled procedures, simulation and on advanced life support courses. He stepped down form this role to take on the Training Programme Director Role with NHS Education Scotland for Internal Medical Trainees in NHS Lanarkshire. He has ongoing commitments in teaching and training of both general medical and respiratory trainees, as well as being the senior examiner for the post graduate medical exams (PACES) at University Hospital Wishaw.

Outside of medicine he enjoys cycling, skiing and running (although not very good at it!).

• Asthma
• COPD
• Sleep Apnoea
• Bronchiectasis
• Pleural diseases
• Lung cancer
• Interstitial lung disease
• Troublesome cough 
• Breathlessness on walking

• Scottish Thoracic Society
• Royal College of Physicians Glasgow
• NHS (National Health Service) Research Scotland (NRS)
• University of Strathclyde 
• University of Glasgow