Contact information
Department name
Paediatric Neurology
Telephone
+44 (0) 161 7012346
Primary email address
imelda.hughes@mft.nhs.uk
Primary contacts
Patients: JanetJohnson, janet.johnson@mft.nhs.ukIndustry: ImeldaHughes, imelda.hughes@mft.nhs.ukNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Contact:Joanne Collins, joanne.collins@nihr.ac.uk
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) was formed on 1st October 2017 following the merger of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust (UHSM).
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital provides specialist healthcare services for children and young people throughout the North West.
The hospital sees 220,000 patient visits each year across a range of specialities and has 371 beds.
RMCH has a dedicated National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester / Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. This is a bespoke research unit, with state of the art equipment, dedicated to the testing of and development of new therapies for a wide range of childhood diseases. The CRF has the capacity for complex inpatient clinical trials including rare metabolic disease, cancer, autism and kidney failure. There are 2 clinical trial coordinators, 16 research nurses and practitioners and a data administrator. The unit has been open 8 years, is positioned in the heart of RMCH and has extensive experience of early phase trials including trials in DMD.
Paediatric Neurology
The Paediatric Neurology Department currently has eight Consultants two of whom have an interest in neuromuscular disease and see and care for approximately 400 patients with various neuromuscular conditions. Of these patients around 70 have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The Manchester neuromuscular service is well-established with close links with relevant clinical services, including respiratory, with facility for polysomnography and ventilator support, cardiology, metabolic bone, orthopaedics (spinal surgeons, foot surgeon and upper limb surgeon), orthotics, histopathology, radiology, genetics and inherited metabolic disease. Joint clinics are held with respiratory and orthopaedic colleagues. There is a regular neuromuscular scoliosis MDT. There is a transition clinic
Experience of running trials
Since 2013 the Manchester team is or has already been involved in a number of clinical trials, these have included early phase and phase 3 trials and natural history studies.
Other relevant projects
North Star Clinical Network
Current trials
Trial status: Recruiting
Link: A Feasibility study of an Online Mindfulness intervention for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy | DMD Hub
Contact listing
+441617012544, imelda.hughes@mft.nhs.uk
Having completed paediatric training in Belfast and Bath, and Paediatric Neurology training in Southampton, Dr Hughes has been a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist and Lead Clinician for the Neuromuscular Service at Royal Manchester children’s Hospital since 1996.
+441617010679, janet.johnson@mft.nhs.uk
Janet Johnson trained as a Paediatric Nurse at Manchester University acquiring firstly a DPSN and then a BSC (Hons) 2.1 in Nursing Practices. Her background is mainly in the care of children with complex needs, life-limiting conditions, invasive and non-invasive ventilation. She has been a Neuromuscular Specialist Practitioner for the last 7 years, and supports patients and families both in hospital and in the community. She helps to coordinate services, support education and help with housing and the social and emotional wellbeing of children with neuromuscular conditions and their families.
+441617012544, gary.mccullagh@mft.nhs.uk
Dr McCullagh is a Consultant Paediatric Neurologist with expertise in paediatric neuromuscular disorders. Having initially trained in paediatrics in Belfast, he completed paediatric neurology training in Manchester. Following this, he completed a fellowship in neuromuscular disorders at the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.
Emily.Whitehouse@mft.nhs.uk
Dr Whitehouse completed undergraduate medical training and an intercalated psychology degree in Edinburgh. She finished Foundation training in the South Thames deanery before moving to general paediatric training rotations in the North West in 2010. Since this time, she has completed rotations in a range of paediatric specialties. Prior to starting her role as DMD Hub clinic research fellow, she gained her Certificate of Completion of Training in general paediatrics and an MSc in Global Health Policy. She is very much looking forward to working within the neuromuscular team, learning more about neuromuscular disease, working closely with families, and supporting the team with ongoing clinical trials in DMD.
sinead.warner@mft.nhs.uk
Sinead Warner completed her physiotherapy degree in Manchester and following this moved to New Zealand, where she completed rotational posts including paediatric specialities. On returning to Manchester, Sinead worked as a paediatric community physiotherapist where she developed an interest in neuromuscular conditions. Sinead now works as a highly specialised physiotherapist within the Neuromuscular team.
