Rheumatology

About us

We manage all forms of inflammatory rheumatic disease including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, gout, and connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, scleroderma and Sjögren’s syndrome.

The Kellgren Centre also delivers specialist tertiary and regional services for Greater Manchester and the wider North West. These include the management of complex and rare rheumatic conditions such as

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (we are a Lupus UK Centre of Excellence)
• Systemic vasculitis (hosting regional GCA MDT for the North West)
• Behçet’s disease
• IgG4-related disease
• Complex regional pain syndrome

We also offer a regional joint obstetric–rheumatology clinic in collaboration with Saint Mary’s Hospital, and a transition service for young adults in partnership with paediatric rheumatology colleagues at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Services offered

All consultants offer general rheumatology clinics and see the full spectrum of rheumatic conditions.

In addition, we provide the following specialist clinics/services:

• Dedicated rapid access Early Inflammatory Arthritis Clinics for patients suspected of developing inflammatory arthritis
• Access to musculoskeletal ultrasound within the department
• Tertiary unit for systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis and other connective tissue diseases with access to advanced biological therapies in SLE and vasculitis to patients who may require this.
• Behcet’s disease
• Psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
• IgG4-Related Disease
• Dedicated Giant Cell Arteritis clinics with access to vascular sonography.
• Nurse-led joint injection clinics

Dedicated multi-disciplinary team meetings run within the department with a variety of colleagues from other specialties:

• Radiology, with musculoskeletal radiologists
• Renal medicine, for patients with SLE or vasculitis
• Respiratory medicine, for patients with lung problems and rheumatic disease
• Ophthalmology, oral surgeons and immunologists for patients with Behcet’s disease
• Joint obstetric clinics with colleagues from St Mary’s Hospital, for patients with rheumatic conditions (Lupus in Pregnancy Service) who are planning a pregnancy or who are currently pregnant
• A transition clinic for young adults transferring from Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
• Urology for patients with IgG4-related disease

About the department

The Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology is named after Professor Jonas Kellgren who was based at Manchester Royal Infirmary and was the first Professor of Rheumatology in the UK. The Centre is situated in a self-contained unit within the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

The Kellgren Centre is a recognised Lupus UK Centre of Excellence, we have been awarded three Best Practice Awards since 2013.

As a centre for clinical and research excellence, the Kellgren Centre has been the focal point of rheumatology research in the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre since 2017.

Your visit

Clinics run daily 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday and are by appointment only. We also provide a dedicated nurse helpline/email for our patients. Telephone: 0161 276 6841, Email: mft.mri.rheum@nhs.net.

On the day of your appointment, please report to the reception desk. When you come for an appointment, always remember to bring details of any tablets or medications that you are taking.
You will be seen by our Health Care Support Workers before your appointment with the doctor or nurse, and any blood tests you require after your clinic appointment will be performed in the department.

As a general rule, we will ask you to see your GP for any recommended medication. Urgent medication will be provided by the pharmacy department before you go home with a standard prescription charge, unless you are exempt.

If you cannot attend your appointment, please inform us on 0161 276 6704 as soon as possible, so we can re-assign the appointment.

Research and Teaching

The Kellgren Centre is very active in clinical research, and you may be invited to participate in a clinical research study. There are many active observational studies and clinical trials within the department, and we strive to offer all our patients the opportunity to participate in clinical research, although you are of course free to decline at any point. Please feel free to ask your doctor or nurse for details on potential research studies.

Our team of research nurses work alongside the clinical team to facilitate clinical research and we run several clinical trials from within the department.

We are a leading translational research centre with strong links to the University of Manchester Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre.

Related Links

http://www.inflammation-repair.manchester.ac.uk/musculoskeletal/

http://www.mahsc.ac.uk/

Research Themes:

Currently, we are carrying out studies in:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Early Arthritis

If you are interested in finding out more about clinical research and how you can get involved, please ask a member of your medical team or visit our get involved page.

Patient information and support

Patient education

We are dedicated to providing a patient-focused service and have many education sessions for patients with
musculoskeletal disorders.

Below are links to websites providing patient support and education, and printed leaflets are also available within the department:

• Versus Arthritis – (create hyperlink) – https://versusarthritis.org/
• Lupus UK – (create hyperlink) – https://lupusuk.org.uk/
• National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society – (create hyperlink) – https://nras.org.uk/
• National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society – (create hyperlink) – https://nass.co.uk/
• Vasculitis UK – (create hyperlink) – https://www.vasculitis.org.uk/

Allied Health Professional support

The Kellgren Centre is very well supported by our physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleagues, with a dedicated service for rheumatology patients and involvement in our educational activities.

Podiatry and foot care for residents of central Manchester is provided by the community podiatry service which can be accessed through your general practitioner.

Biologics service

We provide an innovative, multi-disciplinary service for our patients requiring biologic therapies through our Virtual Biologic Clinic and group education sessions for patients initiating any of these therapies. This service is well supported by our Specialist Rheumatology Pharmacist, Vanessa Reid.

Our colleagues

Consultants

• Professor Anne Barton
• Dr Rachel Gorodkin
• Professor Pauline Ho
• Professor Kimme Hyrich
• Professor Ben Parker
• Dr Ellen Bruce
• Professor Maya Buch
• Dr Jennifer Humphreys
• Dr Yee Ho Chiu
• Dr Rikesh Patel (Joint Clinical Lead)
• Dr Charlotte Sharp (Joint Clinical Lead)
• Dr Rudresh Shukla
• Dr Masroor Ahmad
• Dr Leena Das
• Dr Sarah Moore
• Dr Elaine Tang
• Jon Kwok (Pharmacy)
• Vanessa Reid (Pharmacy)

Specialist Rheumatology Nurses

• Sr Emma Powell
  Senior rheumatology and nurse manager at Kellgren Centre and NMGH rheumatology.
• Sr Sheunesu Mukaro
  Rheumatology specialist nurse – Leads on transition and joint injections.
• Sr Kripa Rajesh Christopher
  Rheumatology specialist nurse – Leads on Lupus and early arthritis.
• Sr Sujatha Jacob
  Rheumatology specialist nurse – Leads on safeguarding and learning disabilities.
• Sr Sylvania Odin
  Rheumatology specialist nurse
• Sr Rachel Eghosa
  Rheumatology specialist nurse
• Sr Emma Douglas
  Rheumatology specialist nurse
• Sr Anumol George
  Rheumatology specialist nurse

Rheumatology Research Team leaders

• Sindhu John-Nurse Manager
• Eva Whittaker-Trial Co-ordinator

Senior Clinical research nurses

• Derek Ridings
• Sandhya Eapen
• Priyanka Kakulde
• Priya Thomas

Specialist Pharmacist

• Vanessa Reid

Specialist Physiotherapist

• Caroline Clegg (Axial Spondylarthritis)

Location and contact details

Kellgren Centre

Ground Floor, Manchester Royal Infirmary
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9WL

Enter the MRI through the entrance 2 next to The Boulevard and walk straight through Costa Coffee through the double-doors to the lifts. The Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology is to the right of the lifts on the ground floor.

General enquiries / appointment scheduling: 0161 276 6704

Nurse advice line (current patients only): 0161 276 6841 or mft.mri.rheum@nhs.net

Specialist Medicines Day Unit (for infusions and procedures): 0161 276 4209 (8am-6pm)

The Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology is a teaching department so medical or nursing students may be in clinic when you are seen. Please let your doctor or nurse know if you would prefer to be seen without students.