Genomics – South West Thames Centre for Genomics
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The South West Thames Centre for Genomics is based at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a specialist service to people living in South West London, Surrey, and West Sussex.
The Clinical Genetics service comprises a team of clinical staff, including consultant geneticists, genetic counsellors, and specialist registrars.
In addition, our St George’s Genomics Service is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory, No. 8127 and provides a comprehensive diagnostic analytical and reporting service for a range of genetic disorders.
The service offers specialist genetic advice, diagnosis, and counselling to families and individuals who have or might be at risk of developing inherited disorders, including cancer. This includes giving advice regarding the availability of carrier screening and prenatal testing techniques.
- The Department provides care for patients at the site most convenient for them; 60 per cent of patients are seen at a clinic local to their home. Clinic appointments are held at St George’s Hospital and at 17 other hospitals within the region.
- The department also provides a number of highly specialised, disease specific clinics, including two nationally recognised services: Tuberous Sclerosis clinic and the Primary Lymphoedema. Further regional specialist clinics include those for patients with endocrine and growth disorders, paediatric conditions, and neurodegenerative disease.
- The department is a lead training centre for specialist registrars, genetic counsellors, and clinical scientists. It also provides advice and training for GPs and other health professionals about inherited disorders.
- Map of SW Thames Clinical Genetics Referral Region
Contact details
General Contact
Department of Clinical Genetics
South West Thames Centre for Genomics
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 0QT
General (non-cancer) secretaries telephone number: 020 8725 2805
General (non-cancer) enquiries (NOT REFERRALS) by email to Genetic.Secretaries@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Cancer secretaries telephone number: 020 8725 5333
Cancer enquiries by email to Cancer.Genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Prenatal enquiries (INCLUDING prenatal referrals) to prenatal.genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk. More information on prenatal referrals here.
Appointments team contact details
Telephone number: 020 8725 3343
Email: genetic.appts@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Clinical Staff
Consultant Geneticists:
- Dr Frances Elmslie – Clinical lead
- Prof Kate Tatton-Brown
- Dr Suzanne Alsters
- Dr Tessa Homfray
- Dr Matina Prapa
- Prof Sahar Mansour
- Dr Esther Dempsey
- Dr Meriel McEntagart
- Dr Nayana Lahiri
- Dr Katie Snape
- Dr Heidre Bezuidenhout
- Dr Avgi Andreou
Genetic Counsellors:
-
- Kelly Kohut – Lead Genetic Counsellor
- Cathryn Moss
- Andrea Forman
- Elizabeth Winchester
- Beth Coad
- Alice Youngs
- Heidy Brandon
- Harriet McMillan
- Ginny Attard
- Lily Barnett
- Gaya Connolly
- Venessa Miller
- Alekhya Ashokan
- Emma Charlton
- Laura Coulier
- Sarah Cable
- Beth Gilman
- Andrew Pestaille
- Ellen Colvin
Referrals
- Clinic appointments are available on referral basis.
- All referrals should be addressed to the consultant staff at St Georges.
- Appointments will automatically be made at the patient’s closest hospital unless they are best served by a specialist clinic.
- Specific referral criteria may apply.
- Appointments by telephone and video are available, where appropriate
Waiting Times
The majority of our clinics are held on a monthly basis. The time from referral to appointment will vary depending on the clinician the patient is due to see, and the nature of the appointment.
If the referred patient is pregnant, they will either be contacted by telephone within 48 hours of referral receipt, or invited to an in-person appointment within a week of referral receipt.
Referral Address
We encourage all referrals to be sent electronically via ERS or to genetic.appts@stgeorges.nhs.uk
Our postal address is (but referrals by post are discouraged and often causes delays to the patient being assigned an appointment):
Department of Clinical Genetics
South West Thames Centre for Genomics
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 0QT
All prenatal referrals should be sent via email to prenatal.genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk with the urgent referral form attached.
Referral advice
If you are unsure whether it is appropriate to refer your patient, please see our guidance on appropriate referrals. There are certain conditions we do not see in clinical genetics and will be rejected. If the referral guidance does not answer your query, questions can be sent via the ‘Advice and Guidance’ service.
Any questions in relation to a patient already known to us should go to:
- Genetic.Secretaries@stgeorges.nhs.uk – for any non-cancer related cases
- Cancer.Genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk – for any cancer related cases
We can accept referrals for patients whose GP surgery is within one of the following postcodes:
- CR0 – CR9
- KT1 – KT24
- SM1 – SM7
- SW1E
- SW4, SW8, SW9
- SW11 – SW20 (except SW16)
- TW1 – TW2
- TW9 – TW20 (except TW13 & TW14)
- RH1 – RH20
- TN8, TN16
- GU1 – GU12
- GU14 – GU31
- GU33, GU46, GU47, GU95
- BN5 – BN6
- BN11 – BN18
- BN41 – BN45
- BN99
- PO9, PO10
- PO18 – PO22
COVID Information for Patients
Many patients and families with rare disease and genetic disorders will understandably be confused and anxious about their level of risk from Covid19 and what precautions they should take.
In response to this, the British Society for Genetic Medicine and the Clinical Genetics Society have created a risk grid designed to help clinicians and families assess a patients’ risk. The grid is an amalgamation of covid19 risk advice from relevant specialties as well as BSGM covid-19 statement. We hope that you will find this will help you stay safe during these uncertain times.
