UHCW Awarded ‘National Centre of Excellence’ by WASOG

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious status of ‘National Centre of Excellence’ by the World Association for Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG).

This recognition highlights UHCW’s commitment to delivering outstanding care and pioneering research for patients with sarcoidosis and neurosarcoidosis.

The accreditation reflects years of dedicated multidisciplinary collaboration, with UHCW’s team bringing together expertise from neurology, respiratory, rheumatology, cardiology, opthalmology, and dermatology, to provide cutting-edge care.

The Trust was appointed lead site for the NHSE Rare diseases collaborative network (RDCN) for neurosarcoidosis in January 2025 and since has run a national-level multidisciplinary team (MDT) for neurosarcoidosis patients for over 12 months, building on eight years of regional sarcoid MDT experience. Patients are referred to UHCW from more than 20 centres across the UK, with the service also providing advisory support to centres in all the devolved nations.

Dr Tarunya Arun, Consultant Neurologist at UHCW and chair of the national neurosarcoidosis RDCN, commented: “As a team, we are delighted to be recognised as a ‘National Centre of Excellence’ by WASOG so soon after our recognition by NHS England. This recognition formally acknowledges that we are a service delivering a high standard of care for patients with a very rare neurological condition in whom accurate diagnosis management in a timely fashion makes a significant difference to long term morbidity.

“It gives us a national and international platform, not only for our clinical work but also for our research. We lead on several national research projects in sarcoidosis and hold funding for both neurosarcoidosis research. Our multidisciplinary approach means patients benefit from faster diagnosis, timely treatment, and improved outcomes. We are committed to optimising management throughout patients’ lives and empowering local clinicians to care for complex, rare conditions. We work collaboratively with our patient partners and UK charity Sarcoidosis UK in both clinical and research developments.”

The Trust’s next steps include expanding international and national collaborations, advancing research into biomarkers and treatments, and working closely with patient and public engagement groups to further improve services and research outcomes.

UHCW’s achievement as a WASOG-accredited National Centre of Excellence is a testament to the dedication of its multidisciplinary team and its ongoing commitment to patient-centred care and innovation.