Dr Ritu Malaiya is a Consultant Rheumatologist specialising in the management of general and inflammatory rheumatological conditions.  She focusses on joint problems and complex pain including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, vasculitis, lupus (SLE), sjogren’s and osteoporosis.

Training and Appointment

Dr Malaiya graduated from King’s College London and completed her postgraduate medical training in General Internal Medicine and Rheumatology within the South London Training programme over 15 years ago. She has worked at specialist units including Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, St George's Hospital and King’s College London and has developed expertise in all aspects of rheumatology.  

Research and Publications

She is actively involved in research and has secured funding for an NIHR Greenshoots grant which has enabled patients to be enrolled in studies about rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and vasculitis.  She has also secured funding to develop a clinical service centred on adolescents and young adults at King’s College Hospital, as well as to provide psychology support for the rheumatology department at Epsom & St Helier hospital.  Part of this work was shortlisted for a British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) Best Practice award in 2022: “Empowering adolescents & young adults with chronic inflammatory conditions across South London, Kent, Surrey & Sussex and improving holistic outcomes.”

Teaching

Dr Malaiya is also a GMC-registered educator and actively develops the educational needs of undergraduate and postgraduate trainees and other medical staff.  She has also delivered talks at the Royal Society of Medicine, London.

Dr Malaiya is also involved in clinical research and is Principle Investigator for the BSRBR-RA study which monitored the long-term safety of drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis.  In addition, she has presented at various national and international conferences, as well as having been published in peer-reviewed journals.

She has held several additional roles: 

• British Society of Rheumatology elected Representative for London
• Royal College of Physicians Speciality Advisor for London
• Regional Champion (London) for HQIP National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit
• Clinical Lead for Rheumatology at Epsom & St Helier’s University NHS Trust.

Clinical Interests

Areas of interest include:

• Joint problems (rotator cuff pain, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Complex pain such as fibromyalgia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis)
• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Vasculitis
• Lupus (SLE)
• Sjogren’s
• Osteoporosis.

• Royal College of Physicians
• British Society of Rheumatology.