Best Indian Doctors & Physicians in London (2026)

TL;DR 🩺

• London has a substantial network of South Asian doctors, especially within the NHS and private GP sector
• Dr Pratik Shah and Dr Mohammad Alam are both listed under paediatrics — important if you're navigating child health services as a new family 👶
• Dr Priya Shah and Dr Mayank R. Shah practice primary care — a starting point for most NHS registration questions
• Finding a doctor who shares language or cultural context can meaningfully improve how healthcare conversations go
• Desi.Net's London directory lists verified physicians by name, specialty, and location

Healthcare for South Asian Families in London

Healthcare navigation is one of the first practical hurdles for South Asian families arriving in or moving within London. The NHS system, while free at the point of use, requires active registration at a GP surgery — and that registration is tied to where you live. You can't simply choose any doctor in the city.

Within that constraint, there are reasons why South Asian families often seek out physicians who share cultural or linguistic background. Communication around symptoms, family health history, dietary practices, and traditional remedies is often clearer when a doctor understands the cultural context. This matters for straightforward consultations and matters considerably more for complex or chronic conditions.

London's South Asian medical community is substantial. Indian doctors in particular have been a significant part of NHS staffing since the 1960s, and that presence has created an established network of South Asian physicians working across general practice, paediatrics, internal medicine, and specialist fields.

Insider Tip: NHS GP registration is based on your home postcode, but surgeries have some latitude. If a specific GP surgery is full, ask to be placed on their waiting list rather than registering elsewhere by default. It's slower but gives you more control over where you land.

Paediatric Care: Dr Pratik Shah and Dr Mohammad Alam

When a family arrives in a new city with children, paediatric healthcare is among the first things to sort out. Dr Pratik Shah and Dr Mohammad Alam are both listed in the Desi.Net London physician directory under paediatrics, making them reference points for families navigating child health services.

Paediatric care in London can flow through NHS paediatric clinics attached to hospitals, through specialist private paediatric practices, or through GPs with a special interest in child health. Understanding which route applies to a specific situation is often the harder part — a GP with paediatric expertise can navigate this with families far more effectively than a generalist.

Finding a paediatrician who speaks a family's home language can also be significant for parents who aren't fully confident in medical English, particularly during developmental consultations where nuance matters.

Primary Care: Dr Priya Shah and Dr Mayank R. Shah

Primary care is where most ongoing healthcare happens in the NHS, and registering with the right GP surgery is foundational to accessing everything else. Dr Priya Shah and Dr Mayank R. Shah are both listed in the directory under primary care, covering the general medical needs that make up the bulk of NHS visits.

For newly arrived South Asian families, a primary care doctor who understands the British medical system in detail and can also communicate effectively about South Asian dietary patterns, health risks that have higher prevalence in South Asian populations (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Vitamin D deficiency), and the family dynamics around healthcare decision-making is a meaningful practical asset.

Vitamin D deficiency is worth particular mention: South Asian populations in the UK have high rates of Vitamin D insufficiency due to reduced sun exposure at northern latitudes combined with dietary patterns and skin melanin levels that limit synthesis. It's a conversation worth raising explicitly with any new GP.

Dr Bikash Bhojnagarwala and the Paediatric Network

Dr Bikash Bhojnagarwala rounds out the paediatric listings, bringing the total to three South Asian paediatricians in the London directory. The presence of multiple South Asian paediatric physicians in a single city's verified listing reflects the broader scale of South Asian medical representation in London's NHS workforce.

For Bengali-speaking or Gujarati-speaking families specifically, having access to a paediatrician who shares that language can change the quality of consultations significantly — not just for the parents but for older children who might otherwise be translating in appointments, a burden that gets pushed onto children in many immigrant families navigating medical settings.

Arvind Shah: Paediatric Specialist

Arvind Shah is listed in the paediatrics category, adding another specialist to the available pool for families with children requiring ongoing specialist attention. London's paediatric landscape splits between NHS hospital-based clinics and private practice, and navigating between the two requires knowing what's available where.

The Desi.Net listing provides a starting point. Direct contact with any listed physician's practice will clarify their NHS vs. private practice structure, which catchment area applies, and what the current waiting situation looks like.

How to Use the Directory Effectively

A few notes on getting the most from the Desi.Net London physician listings:

NHS registration first. If you're newly arrived, your first step is registering with an NHS GP in your postcode area. The listed physicians may or may not be taking new NHS patients — that requires a direct call.

Private vs. NHS access. Some South Asian physicians in London practice privately as well as within the NHS. For faster access to specialist services, private consultations are available — at cost — without the NHS referral pathway.

Specialties matter. The directory lists specialty alongside the physician's name. Matching the specialty to the medical need before reaching out saves time.

Languages spoken. If language is a factor, ask directly when you contact the surgery. Many South Asian GPs in London are fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, or Bengali, but not all practices advertise this publicly.

FAQ

Q: Can I register with any GP in London as a new arrival? A: NHS GP registration is tied to your home postcode. You can register with any surgery that covers your area and is accepting new patients.

Q: Are these physicians taking NHS patients? A: The Desi.Net directory lists physician names and specialties. Current NHS availability requires contacting the practice directly, as patient lists open and close.

Q: What is the difference between a GP and a specialist in London? A: A GP (General Practitioner) is your first point of contact for most health concerns. A specialist — such as a paediatrician — is usually accessed via GP referral in the NHS, or directly in private practice.

Q: Do South Asian doctors in London speak South Asian languages? A: Many do, but language fluency varies and is not guaranteed by background. When you call to inquire about registration, ask directly.

Q: Is there an NHS walk-in alternative if registration takes time? A: Yes. NHS Urgent Treatment Centres and walk-in clinics operate in London without registration requirements, for non-emergency care.

Bottom Line

London's South Asian physician community is well-established and well-represented within the NHS, and the Desi.Net London directory surfaces verified names across paediatrics and primary care. Dr Pratik Shah, Dr Mohammad Alam, Dr Priya Shah, Dr Bikash Bhojnagarwala, Dr Mayank R. Shah, and Arvind Shah represent different corners of that community. The directory is the starting point; a direct call to each practice fills in current availability and NHS vs. private access. Browse the full Desi.Net London directory for the complete list.