Currently, six consultants and two registrars provide a secondary care rheumatology service to residents of central Manchester.
The conditions we commonly manage include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, connective tissue diseases (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, scleroderma and Sjogren’s syndrome) and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis.
The Kellgren Centre also provides a tertiary and regional service for Greater Manchester and the wider North West area for complex rheumatic conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (we are a Lupus UK Centre of Excellence), vasculitis, Behcet’s disease, heritable collagen disorders and complex regional pain syndrome. We also offer a regional joint obstetric/rheumatology clinic with colleagues in Saint Mary’s Hospital and transition service with our paediatric rheumatology colleagues for young adults transferring from the Children’s Hospital.
The department has two fulltime NHS consultants (Dr Gorodkin and Dr Ho), two 50/50 clinical/academic consultants (Professor Bruce and Dr Parker) and two fulltime academic rheumatologists (Professor Barton and Dr Hyrich). There are 3 specialist nurses and junior doctor staffing includes 2 registrars, one ST1/2, and one FY2.
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 (waiting time <3 weeks) for patients suspected of developing inflammatory arthritis
- Access to musculoskeletal ultrasound within the department
- Systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis and other connective tissue diseases
- Behcet’s disease
- Psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
- Joint hypermobility syndrome
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
We are currently working with Pfizer to review rheumatology transitional care and the patient pathway within the Trust, with a view to implementing service improvements and developing best practice in transitional care.
To read more about the project, please click here.
Advanced Therapies in SLE clinic for our regional and local patients who may require access to biological therapies.
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 and in 2013 we were awarded a Best Practice Award by British Society for Rheumatology for our educational sessions for patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory arthritis.
Your visit
Clinics run daily 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday and are by appointment only. We also provide a dedicated nurse helpline for our patients.
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 as soon as possible, so we can re-assign the appointment.
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:
Other patient support and education groups can be accessed via Arthritis Research UK website
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.
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.
Hours
Clinics run daily 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday by appointment only. We also provide a dedicated nurse helpline for our patients.
There is also a Rheumatology department at Trafford Hospitals, with clinics running from both Trafford and Altrincham General
Location and contact details
Manchester Royal Infirmary
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9WL
Enter the MRI through the entrance on The Boulevard and walk straight through Costa Coffee to the lifts. The Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology is to the right of the lifts on the ground floor.
General enquiries and reception: 0161 2764357
Programmed Investigations Unit (for infusions and procedures): 0161 2763583 (9am-1pm) or 0161 276 4209 (1am-5pm)
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 consultant 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.
http://www.inflammation-repair.manchester.ac.uk/musculoskeletal/
http://www.manchestermskbru.org/index.php
We operate a dedicated weekly translational research clinic at the NIHR / Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility, specifically aimed at patients who may be developing an early inflammatory arthritis
To contact the CRF please call 0161 906 7500.
The Kellgren Centre for Rheumatology is a teaching department for medical students from Manchester Medical School, so medical 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.
Consultants
- Professor Anne Barton - Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, Professor of Rheumatology
- Dr Rachel Gorodkin - Consultant Rheumatologist
- Dr Pauline Ho - Consultant Rheumatologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester
- Dr Kimme Hyrich - Reader and Honorary Consultant in Rheumatology
- Professor Kimme Hyrich - Consultant Rheumatologist