NHS Cleft Teams
What is the Cleft Lip and Palate Service?
The NHS Cleft Lip and Palate Service provides specialist support and clinical care to people with cleft lip and/or palate and their families from diagnosis to adulthood. Adult patients who have received surgery in the past may return for further treatment at any age. Psychological support and genetic counselling is also available for families of people with cleft lip and/or palate.
There are 9 Cleft Services around the UK. Within these, there are individual Cleft Units (or Cleft Centres) within hospitals which are staffed by Cleft Teams. These teams of cleft specialists are sometimes called ‘Multidisciplinary Teams’ or ‘MDT’s, which simply means there are a number of specialists from different disciplines (e.g. plastic surgery, dentistry, psychology) all working together. These centres are supported by local cleft clinics around the region.
A Cleft Team should be made up of the following cleft specialists:
- Lead Cleft Surgeon
- Lead Paediatric Anaesthetist
- Lead Specialist in Paediatric Dentistry
- Lead Consultant Orthodontist
- Lead Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
- Lead Consultant Paediatrician
- Lead Consultant ENT (Ear,Nose & Throat) Surgeon and/or Audiological Physician / Paediatric Audiologist
- Lead Consultant/Clinical Nurse Specialist (sometimes called a ‘Cleft Nurse’)
- Lead Clinical Psychologist
- Lead Consultant Restorative Dentist
- Lead Consultant Clinical Geneticist
The specialists in each team, as well as where they are based and what they do, will vary from place to place.
Contacting a Cleft Team
Like most NHS specialist services, Cleft Teams usually need a referral from another service like a GP or midwife in order to take on new patients.
Newly diagnosed babies, and expectant parents who have just received a diagnosis, should be referred to their nearest Cleft Team very quickly, usually within 24 hours.
Older children with a late diagnosis of cleft palate may get a referral from their GP.
Adults or anyone who has left the service will usually need to get a referral from their GP or dentist for further specialist treatment. More information.
Find Your Cleft Team
Scotland
1. Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow
National Cleft Surgical Service for Scotland
Royal Hospital for Sick Children Glasgow
1345 Govan Road, GLASGOW, G51 4TF View Map
To discuss clinical care or appointments (including if you are an adult wishing to explore additional treatment) please contact:
Cleft Service Coordinator T: 0141 451 6730 E-mail: [email protected]
Northern Ireland
2. Royal Belfast Children’s Hospital for Sick Children
Northern Ireland Cleft Service
Adjacent to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
Falls Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland View Map
Pamela Foster (Cleft Lip & Palate Co-ordinator) T: 028 9024 0503
England & Wales
3. Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Northern & Yorkshire Cleft Service
Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne View Map
Stacey Marley (Cleft Coordinator) T: 0191 2820750 or email [email protected]
4. Leeds General Infirmary
Northern & Yorkshire Cleft Service
Great George Street, Leeds View Map
Ms Andrea Nye (Cleft Co-ordinator) T: 0113 3925115
5. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Northwest England, Isle of Man and North Wales Cleft Service
Eaton Road, Liverpool , Merseyside, L12 2AP View Map
Miss Hannah Lawless (Cleft Unit Co-ordinator) T: 0151 252 5209 or Email [email protected]
6. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Northwest England, Isle of Man and North Wales Cleft Service
Oxford Road, Manchester View Map
Ms Claire Richardson (Cleft Team Co-ordinator) T: 0161 701 9091 or Email [email protected]
7. Nottingham City Hospital
Trent Cleft Service
City Hospital Campus, Hucknall Road , Nottingham , NG5 1PB View Map
Cleft Team T: 0115 9691169 & ask for the cleft team
8. Birmingham Children’s Hospital
West Midlands Cleft Service
Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham, B4 6NH View Map
Email [email protected]
Telephone: 0121 333 8235
Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Over 16s)
Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2GW View Map
Email [email protected]
Telephone: 0121 627 2000
9. Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
Cleft Net East
Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ View Map
Troy Pullen (Cleft Team Co-ordinator) T: 01223 596 272
Email: [email protected]
10. Morriston Hospital, Swansea
South West Cleft Service
Morriston, Swansea, SA6 6NL View Map
T: 0117 3421177
Email: [email protected]
11. University of Bristol Dental Hospital
South West Cleft Service
South West Cleft Service, Bristol Dental Hospital, Lower Maudlin Street, BRISTOL View Map
Admin (Cleft Team Admin)
T: 0117 3421177
Email: [email protected]
12. Salisbury District Hospital
Spires Cleft Service
Salisbury, Wiltshire View Map
Ms Mary-Ann Brewer (Cleft Service Co-ordinator (Salisbury)) T: 01722 345 521 or Email [email protected]
Mr Stephen Robinson (Clinical Director) T: 02392 286099 or Email [email protected]
13. John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
Spires Cleft Service
Headley Way, Headington, Oxford View Map
Mr Steven Berry (Service Co-ordinator (Oxford)) T: 01865 234252 or Email [email protected]
Mr Stephen Robinson (Clinical Director) T: 02392 286099 or Email [email protected]
14. Great Ormond Street Hospital, London
North Thames Cleft Service
Great Ormond Street, LONDON WC1N 3JH View Map
Martina Drozd (Cleft Secretary) or Shahena Mumin (Cleft Secretary) T: 020 7829 7922 or Email [email protected]
15. Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital, London
South Thames Cleft Service
1st Floor, South Wing, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH View Map
Luke Thomas (Assistant Service Manager) T: 020 7188 1321 or Email [email protected]
16. Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford
North Thames Cleft Service
St Andrew’s Centre
East Wing, Broomfield Hospital, Court Road, Chelmsford CM1 7ET View Map
Karen Wilson (Cleft Coordinator) T: 01245 516 201 or Email to [email protected]
Republic of Ireland
Children’s University Hospital
Temple Street, Dublin 1
Ms Anne McGillivary (Cleft & Craniofacial Service Manager) T: 00 353 1 8784882/ 00 353 879888725 Email: [email protected]
Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12, IRELAND View Map
Laura Duggan (Cleft Coordinator) T: 00 353 1 4162832
St James’s Hospital
Temple Street , Dublin 1, Republic of Ireland
Ms Laura Duggan (Cleft Coordinator) T: 00 353 1 4162832