About
I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1996, having been a winner of the Aesculapius Prize for services to medicine, and trained in Cardiology at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge before pursuing a fellowship in Electrophysiology under Professor Jonathan Kalman at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, one of the world’s leading centres in cardiac electrophysiology.
During the course of my training, I completed a PhD at Cambridge University in ventricular arrhythmias in genetically modified murine models of arrhythmogenesis and maintain an interest in the management of patients with channelopathies and aborted sudden cardiac death.
I was appointed as a Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in December 2008. I specialise in the investigation and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and perform catheter ablation of all forms of cardiac arrhythmias using pulsed field ablation (PFA), radiofrequency and cryoablation (freezing) technologies.
My areas of particular expertise lie in the use of PFA (for which I have amongst the broadest experience in the UK) or radiofrequency with 3D mapping for the ablation of atrial fibrillation, complex atrial arrhythmias and atrial tachycardia, about which I have published a number of articles and spoken about nationally and internationally as an invited speaker. I also specialise in the implantation of simple and complex cardiac devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular devices.
I am the Clinical Lead for Electrophysiology and Cardiac Rhythm Management at University Hospitals Dorset.
Cardiac Electrophysiology & Ablation (including PFA), Pacemakers & Cardiac Devices including Standard and Biventricular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)
Dr Bala is a Member of the Medical Advisory Committee at Dorset Heart Clinic
For over 10 years, I was the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) cardiovascular speciality lead for the Wessex Cardiovascular Local Research Network (April 2014 to October 2025) and I was proud and honoured to receive the RCP-NIHR joint research award for outstanding contribution to research in 2021. I have been the principal investigator for several clinical trials including the ELIMINATE-AF, VENTURE-AF, GLORIA-AF, ENSURE-AF, RIPPLE-AT, AVATAR-AF, FARAWAY and CRAAFT-HF trials.
I have published a number of papers in peer-reviewed journals over the last 25 years (see link below) and have been invited to present on a regular basis at national and international conferences. I was one of the first users of Pulsed Field Ablation in the UK and remain one of the most experienced users of the technology. I was one of the first implanters of MRI-safe pacemakers in the UK and the first in the south of England.
For publications, please copy this link into your browser: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=richard+balasubramaniam&sort=date
Dr Bala has declared that he does not hold a share or any financial interest in Dorset Heart Clinic or any company owned by Regent’s Park Healthcare. This statement conforms with guidance set out by the Competition and Markets Authority.