Dr Rea qualified from University of London in 1996 and undertook anaesthetic training in Birmingham. He worked as a Consultant both at University Hospitals, Bristol and at University College Hospital, London before being appointed as an Anaesthetic Consultant at the University Hospital, Birmingham and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in 2014.
He provides anaesthetic services for all types of surgery at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and currently has regular commitments to Oncology/Reconstruction, Spinal and Arthroplasty surgeries. He has interests in medicines management and patient safety.