Specialist surgical services  

Specialist medical services  

Other services and information  

We are a large multidisciplinary team working closely together to provide holistic, expert care with kindness and respect, always putting children, young people, and their families first.
 
We work collaboratively with the surgical, therapy, and mental health teams, and with clinical nurse specialists, in caring for children and young people (under 18 years old) with musculoskeletal and complex bone conditions. This includes for those admitted to hospital (link to joint page for more info) and in outpatient clinics, such as in spinal surgery, spinal cord injury, and sarcoma.
 
We provide specialist services (details listed below), including for chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO), juvenile idiopathic arthritis, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), hypermobility, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), aneurysmal bone cysts (and other benign bone tumours), metabolic bone disorders, chronic pain, and shoulder rehabilitation.

 A strength at RNOH is providing specialist orthopaedic, rheumatology, and metabolic bone services for children, young people, and adults, and we offer several young adult clinics. Therefore, we provide seamless transfer of care from paediatric to adult services.
 

Services

 

Most paediatric consultants see patients with issues effecting the muscles, joints, or bone. This can include back pain, hypermobility, inflammatory conditions, and benign bone tumours. As needed, Patients may be referred by the general practitioner, general paediatrician (from another hospital), or by orthopaedic surgical teams. Referral information can be found below.

We see children and young people (0-18 years old) with musculoskeletal problems. These often present with muscle or joint pain and swelling. We see those with biomechanical pain, inflammatory conditions (such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis), and chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO/CRMO).

Team:

  • Dr Caroline Oren, Consultant Paediatrician with specialist interest in paediatric rheumatology and neurology
  • Dr Cristina Ilea, Consultant Paediatrician with specialist interest in paediatric rheumatology and chronic pain
  • Dr Benjamin Jacobs, Consultant Paediatrician with specialist interest in metabolic bone
  • Dr Clarissa Pilkington, Consultant Paediatric Rheumatologist
  • Amy Culham, Paediatric Rheumatology Clinical Nurse Specialist (contact: amy.culham@nhs.net; 020 8909 5391)
  • Kayleigh Hoey, Paediatric Metabolic Bone Clinical Nurse Specialis (contact: kayleighhoey@nhs.net; 020 8909 5902)

We see children and young people (11-18 years old) with long-term chronic neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions.

Team:

  • Dr Roxaneh Zarnegar, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Management
  • Dr Cristina Ilea, Consultant Paediatrician with specialist interest in paediatric rheumatology and chronic pain
  • Dr Jane Hoddes, Consultant Paediatrician
  • Dr Helen Cohen, Consultant Adult Rheumatologist with specialist interest in chronic pain and chronic regional pain syndrome
  • Rebecca O’Keeffe, Paediatric Physiotherapist
  • Dr Chirag Gorasia, Paediatric Clinical Psychologist

We see children and young adults up to age 18 years with symptoms and signs of CRPS. Referrals are internal or via eRS.

Team

  • Dr Jane Hoddes, consultant paediatrician
  • Dr Helen Cohen, consultant in adult rheumatology and pain management

We see patients with recurrent shoulder instability, some who also have a hypermobility syndrome, and provide holistic assessment and management. We are multidisciplinary, working with the physical therapies team, and liaise with local services. The clinic in jointly run between:

  • Dr Sherine Dewlett, consultant paediatrician
  • Dr Chirag Gorasia, paediatric clinical psychologist

We see children and young people with neuromuscular scoliosis and complex medical needs. We ensure they are well for surgery and plan reasonable adjustments for their admission and safe discharge.

This clinic takes place over a whole day. You will be seen, in turn, by each member of our multidisciplinary team, including:

  • Consultant paediatrician
  • Consultant anaesthetist
  • Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
  • Physiotherapist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Dietitian
  • Speech and language therapist
  • Social worker

Blood tests and other necessary investigations will also be completed on the day.

Referrals to this clinic are internal only from RNOH spinal surgery. Contact us at rnoh.paediatricspines@nhs.net.

As part of a comprehensive assessment ahead of surgery, some children and young people need a cardiac assessment. This service is led by Dr Saduf Chaudhry, Paediatric Consultant Paediatrician with a Special Interest in Paediatric Cardiology. Internal referrals only.

The paediatric metabolic bone clinic is held at Stanmore and Bolsover Street. We see children and young people with a range of conditions, from more common vitamin D deficiency to rare genetic bone diseases and disorders of calcium and phosphate metabolism.

Bisphosphonate treatment (pamidronate and zoledronic acid) is given on Coxen ward. Burosumab is provided in partnership with a homecare nursing team.

Team

RNOH is the national lead in care and research for children and adults with FOP. We have a paediatric FOP clinic at Stanmore, which helps us focus on the specific needs of children, young people, and families living with FOP; such as with diagnosis, within education, and during healthcare transition into adult services. We work closely with our specialist allied healthcare professionals at RNOH and expert colleagues around the world.

Team:

Resources:

The young adult clinics support the healthcare transition and transfer of care for young people transferring their care from paediatric to adult services. It is usually for patients with metabolic bone or rheumatology conditions who have been seen in the the paediatric clinic at RNOH, or at a paediatric clinic at another hospital, who will continue their care with the adult metabolic bone and rheumatology team at RNOH.

Watch our video about transistioning to adult services at RNOH

Team:

  • Dr Benjamin Jacobs, Consultant Paediatrician with Specialist Interest in Metabolic Bone
  • Prof Richard Keen, Consultant in Adult Metabolic Bone
  • Dr Judith Bubbear, Consultant in Adult Metabolic Bone
  • Dr Tiara Gill, Consultant in Adult Rheumatology and Metabolic Bone
  • Kayleigh Hoey, Paediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist in Metabolic Bone (kayleighhoey@nhs.net)
  • Amy Culham, Paediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist in Rheumatology
    (amy.culham@nhs.net; 020 8909 5391)
  • Martyn Dudley, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Rheumatology and Metabolic Bone

(contact: rnoh.metaboliccns@nhs.net)

The London Spinal Cord Injury Centre (LSCIC) is one of only two spinal cord injury centres in England with paediatric inpatient beds. In clinic, we see children and young people up to age 18 years who have sustained a spinal cord injury, whether due to trauma or medical issues.

This is a multidisciplinary clinic. You will be seen by:

  • Dr Verity Thakur, Consultant in Rehabilitation
  • Dr Jane Hoddes, Consultant Paediatrician
  • Dr Saduf Chaudhry, Consultant paediatrician
  • Dr Rebecca McLaren, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Suzanne Capel, Dietitian
  • Cecilia Daly, Physiotherapist
  • Samantha Higgins, Occupational Therapist
  • Fiona Burgess, Orthotist
  • Laura Graham, Clinical Nurse Specialist

When necessary, we arrange admission to our paediatric ward for a period of intensive rehabilitation where you will be cared for by the same multidisciplinary team

For more information (including referral information): London Spinal Cord Injury Centre

RNOH is part of the London Sarcoma Service and is the regional centre for the diagnosis and surgical management of limb, trunk and spine sarcomas. Paediatric 2 week wait referrals are triaged and initially seen by a consultant paediatrician.

The weekly sarcoma multidisciplinary team meeting discusses all referrals and attendees includes consultant paediatrician, consultant sarcoma surgeon, consultant radiologist, and consultant paediatric oncologist.

For more information (including referral information): Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Service

Consultants:

 

Clinical nurse specialists:

Amy Culham, Paediatric clinical nurse specialist in rheumatology, including chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (contact: amy.culham@nhs.net; 020 8909 5391)

Kayleigh Hoey, Paediatric CNS in metabolic bone and lead for healthcare transition (contact: kayleighhoey@nhs.net; 020 8909 5902)

 

Mental Health:

Dr Rebecca McLaren, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Dr Chirag Gorasia, Paediatric Clinical Psychologist

 

Therapy and Allied Healthcare team:
 

  • Physiotherapists: Rebecca O’Keefe and Shelia Pillai
  • Occupational therapists: Rachel Graham
  • Dieticians: Suzanne Capel
  • Speech and language therapist: Deborah Ezekiel
  • Social Worker: Jeeva Govender

 

Secretaries and co-ordinators:

Stephanie Batten-Matheson (medical secretary)

  • Tel: 020 3947 0475 (ext. 1475)
  • E-mail: stephaniebatten@nhs.net
  • Consultants: Dr Saduf Chaudhry, Dr Sherine Dewlett, Dr Jane Hoddes, Dr Mahmud Mustafa & Dr Caroline Oren

Zohra Patel (medical secretary)

  • Tel: 020 8909 5871
  • E-mail: zohra.patel2@nhs.net
  • Consultants: Dr Alexander Chesover, Dr Chirag Gorasia, Dr Cristina Ilea, Dr Benjamin Jacobs, Dr Rebecca McLaren & Dr Wolfgang Muller

Jack Lo (Paediatric MDT Coordinator) 

Please note specific requirements for

For leaflets, guides, and links with information about being admitted to hospital, about specific conditions and treatments, click here for the Patient Information – Children and Young People

In the Paediatrics Department, there are training opportunities for: paediatric fellows, foundation gateway trainees and London Deanery paediatric trainees. Medical students are welcome as part of a special study module. Many of our paediatric fellows are international medical graduate; for some, this is their first NHS post before proceeding to a UK training job.

The London Deanery are Tier 2 core or specialty paediatric trainees and gain unique training and experience in complex patient care, rheumatology, oncology, and metabolic bone disorders.

There are opportunities to develop a mental health interest as we have a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Paediatric Clinical Psychology, and mental health CNS champion as part of our paediatric MDT team.