The clinical team looks after patients with primary immunodeficiency and allergy.
The care of adult patients with primary immunodeficiency usually occurs in out-patient clinics at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. A team of consultant immunologists, specialist registrars and clinical nurse specialists and a dedicated psychologist provide expert diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of adult patients with primary immunodeficiency.
*From June 2013, all clinics and infusion wards are going to be located on the second floor of the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation. Clinics will operate on Wednesdays AM, specialist clinics on Fridays AM, and infusions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
To see how to get to the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, view map.
Out-patient care (Tel: 020 7830 2141)
Clinics take place twice a week. New referrals are usually seen within one to two weeks.
Online out-patient clinic booking through Choose and Book
Day-cases
Our Day Case Unit, currently located on ward 9 West B*, provides immunoglobulin replacement, and treatment with immune modulators or intravenous antimicrobials. The service operates during office hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. An extended service is provided every 4 weeks up to 8pm to suit the lifestyle of busy patients*.
Home therapy
Depending on the individual circumstances, most patients are able to be trained to treat themselves at home, either with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) or subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg). The training typically takes 6-8 sessions and is carried out on the infusion ward (currently located on the ward 9 West B*). Home therapy patients are able to choose when they want to have their infusions which can be very convenient for those with full-time jobs or children. Home therapy patients are encouraged to contact us if they have any problems therefore avoiding the need to travel to hospital frequently.
Local hospital support
For people not living locally to the Royal Free we provide support and advice for our patients receiving immunoglobulin treatment at their local hospital. This can be about infusion complications, antibiotic advice, details of new treatments etc. Local hospital patients are typically seen once or twice a year in our out-patient clinic.
In-patient stays
Any patient who requires in-patient admission to the Royal Free Hospital will usually be admitted under immunology/infectious disease to 11 West, although occasionally other wards are used.
Patients who are admitted for bone marrow transplant or gene therapy are admitted to ward 11 West under immunology/haematology.
Joint clinics
Joint clinics for post-bone marrow transplant patients occur every 3 months with adult haematologists, paediatric and adult immunologists and specialist nurses.
Joint clinics for Chronic Granulomatous Disease patients occur every 2 months with paediatric and adult immunologists, specialist nurses and psychologist.
A joint Transition Clinic for all paediatric primary immunodeficient patients from age 16 years occurs quarterly at Great Ormond Street Hospital where an adult immunologist and specialist nurse from the Royal Free Hospital see these patients and follow them up into adult life. A Young Adult clinic has recently been established for patients in their late teens/early twenties.
The clinical service also includes the clinical immunology diagnostic laboratory which provides a comprehensive immunology testing service. It also serves other hospitals and GP clinics in North Thames region as well as receiving requests for specialised tests from all over the country.
The UCL Centre for Immunodeficiency combines the clinical and research facilities of the Royal Free Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital. The UCL Centre for Immunodeficiency received a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic Centre award in October 2009. The Jeffrey Modell Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the early detection of primary immune deficiencies.
Psychological services
Through funding from the Royal Free Charity (and originally the Primary Immunodeficiency Association and the Royal Free Special Trustees Fund for Research into Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder), the department of clinical immunology is in its second year of providing short-term, time-limited cognitive-behavioural based therapy to patients with primary antibody deficiency syndrome treated within the department.
Location
Royal Free Hospital, 2nd Floor - Institute of Infection and Transplantation
How to make a referral
Via Choose and Book. Tertiary referrals are also possible.
Head of department
- Professor Hans Stauss - 020 7830 2141
Consultants
- Dr Ronnie Chee (clinical lead) - 020 7830 2141 or ext 34519
- Dr Suranjith Seneviratne - 020 7830 2141 or ext 34519
- Dr Siobhan Burns - 020 7830 2141 ext 36662
- Dr Bodo Grimbacher - 020 7830 2141 or ext 34519
Specialist nurses
Specialist registrars
- Dr Magdalena Dziadzio - 020 7794 0500 ext 34807 or bleep 1168
- Dr Nisha Verma – 020 7794 0500 ext 34807 or bleep 1168