Dr Rachael James

Sub Speciality

Echocardiography

Clinical interests

• Aortopathy

• Maternal Cardiology
• Valve Disease and Infective Endocarditis

Current memberships

• British Cardiovascular Society
• British Society of Echocardiography 
• UK Maternal Cardiology Society

Professional Profile

Dr Rachael James has lived and worked in Brighton and Hove for over twenty years. She qualified in 1991 and was awarded a BSc in Medical Microbiology (1989) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr James trained in cardiology at The Middlesex and St Thomas’ hospitals in London, and in Brighton. In 2003 she awarded a postgraduate degree (MD) from the University of London.

Dr James was appointed as a Consultant Cardiologist at the Sussex Cardiac Centre in 2004. She is trained in all aspects of general cardiology and is a highly respected, kind, and experienced clinician and leads several specialist teams. She is lead for Echocardiography, Infective Endocarditis and Maternal Cardiology. She holds British Society of Echocardiography accreditation in both transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography and has a 25-year experience in Dobutamine stress echo. She has specialist interests in valve disease and aortopathy.

In addition to her NHS clinical work, Dr James was Deputy Medical Director, responsible for Professional Standards and Appraisal and Revalidation of senior doctors (2017-2022), and Medical Director (2022-2024). She has been a council member for the British Cardiovascular Society (2009-2013), British Society of Echocardiography (2008-2014) and the UK Maternal Cardiology Society (2019-2022). She was a cardiology assessor for the UK Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (2013-2026) and a Trustee of the Sussex Heart Charity (2010-2019) and charity Co-Chair (2015-2019). She worked for more than 15 years as a Clinical Medical Officer for Insurance companies, advising on life and annuity cover and critical illness claims.