The regional neuromuscular service at AHCH has expanded considerably over recent years. This expansion continues with monthly referrals averaging now 8.6. It is now one of the larger paediatric neuromuscular services in this country with a patient caseload of approximately 550.
As part of the service, the Regional Care Advisors in Liverpool provide support to adults who attend the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and to children who attend clinics at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
How to access the service
Patients can be referred to the service by either a GP, consultant or physiotherapist.
The team
Dr Stefan Spinty
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Dr Stefan Spinty is a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist based at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Dr Spinty is the lead Neuromuscular clinician and neuromuscular consultant. He is also the chair of Neuromuscular Network North West and dedicates about two thirds of his working time to neuromuscular work.
Shirley Crosby
Regional Care Advisor
Shirley joined the care advisor team in March 2009. She previously managed services for disabled children and their families in both the Health and Education fields and more recently she managed the Disability Rights Commission/IPSEA Disability Discrimination in Schools Project covering England and Wales. Get in touch with Shirley by E: Shirley.crosby@alderhey.nhs.uk or T: 0151 252 5747.
Alison Brown
Regional Care Advisor
Alison joined the neuromuscular team in March 2009 after spending more than 10 years working in a Children's Hospice, where she helped set up the very successful service they now offer.
Alison is a Registered Nurse for both children and adults. Get in touch with Alison by E: Alison.brown@alderhey.nhs.uk or T: 0151 252 5451.
Other key people in the team include:
- Dr Rajesh Madhu, Neuromuscular Consultant
- Dr Rajesh Karuvattil, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
- Anna Smith, Associate Neuromuscular Nurse Specialist
- Vicki Hargreaves, Roald Dahl Neuromuscular Nurse Specialist
- Dr Laura Grey, Psychologist
- Sarah Gregson, Physiotherapist
- Stuart Clarke, Physiotherapist
- Alison Sutch, Care Advisor
- Veronica Roberts, Neuromuscular Care Advisor for North Wales
- Denise Wooding, Occupational Therapist
- Jack Birtley, Occupational Therapist
- Julie Burke, Neuromuscular Care Coordinator
- Jackie Robinson, Neurology Care Path Coordinator
- Alison Felton, Speech and Language Therapist
Clinics
Children
Clinics are held at Alder Hey Children's Hospital
- Urgent muscle clinic
- Follow-up muscle clinic
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy steroid clinic
- New muscle clinic
- Dedicated multi-disciplinary arthrogryposis clinic
- Dedicated multi-disciplinary neuropathy clinic
- Spinal clinic
- Orthopaedic clinic
- Neuromuscular telephone clinic
- Neuromuscular clinic