Clinical genetics is a specialist regional service based at Birmingham Women’s Hospital. For each discipline and area there is at least one designated consultant clinical geneticist and genetic counsellor with outreach clinics held across the West Midlands region. The service includes the Clinical Genetics Service and the West Midlands Family Cancer Service (WMFACS). Specific information relating to the service can be found here.
General and multidisciplinary specialist Genetics clinics are held at a variety of locations throughout Coventry and Warwickshire. Patients referred to the Clinical Genetics Service are allocated a Consultant Geneticist and/or Genetic Counsellor based on their address. In some cases patients may be invited to Birmingham to attend supra-regional clinics for example in the management of ophthalmic genetics, neurogenetics, skeletal dysplasia or long QT syndromes.
Coventry: Consultant: Dr Lily Islam. Regular clinics are undertaken, some are at UHC&W and once a month a clinic is held jointly with a pediatrician at the City of Coventry Health Centre.
Genetic Counsellor Julie Hewitt: Regular clinic at the City of Coventry Health Centre.
Julie.hewitt@bwnft.nhs.uk Tel: 0121 627 2630 or mobile: 07958 702724
Warwickshire: Consultant: Dr Nicola Ragge Clinics are held at Warwick Hospital and St Cross Rugby.
Consultant: Dr Swati Naik. Clinics are held at George Eliot Nuneaton Genetic Counsellors: Claire Dolling and Liz Kay (job share) undertake clinics at a variety of locations throughout Warwickshire
Claire.dolling@bwnft.nhs.uk Tel: 0121 627 2630 or mobile: 07791 329091
Liz.kay@bwnft.nhs.uk Tel: 0121 627 2630 or mobile: 07815 315147
Specialist Neurogenetics Clinic Consultants: Dr Mary O’Driscoll/Dr Nicola Cooper. Regular clinics are undertaken at UHC&W.
Cancer Genetics Coventry and Warwickshire Consultant: Dr Kai ren Ong
Genetic Counsellors: Anna Considine: Clinics held at UHC&W, Julie Hewitt City of Coventry Health Centre and Fiona Beecroft clinics held at George Eliot, Rugby St Cross and Warwick Hospital.
In response to a referral the patient is sent a family history form. Alternatively patients can be given a family history form to complete or complete an electronic form on line via our website. When this is completed and returned the diagnoses are confirmed through the cancer intelligence unit (with appropriate consents). An assessment of risk is then made and the patient offered an appointment with a Genetic Counsellor or Consultant, or reassured by letter if at low risk.
In families where the affected relative is terminally ill a Genetic Counsellor may contact the family straight away as it may be important to offer to store a DNA sample
Contacts For urgent enquiries a duty geneticist is available on 0121 627 2630 to discuss urgent problems or referrals. For pregnancy referrals the genetic counsellor can be contacted directly or if unavailable please contact the department directly on 0121 627 2630.
Referrals Please address these to the relevant consultant at Birmingham Women's Hospital:
Consultant Clinical Geneticist Birmingham Women's Hospital Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TG Telephone: 0121 627 2630 Fax: 0121 627 2618
Information for laboratory services can be found at http://www.bwnft.nhs.uk/wmrgs/regionalgenetics/ Telephone 0121 627 2710
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
Shielding Patients in very high risk for COVID Group
All people who have been identified as very high risk (requiring shielding) for COVID are in the process of being contacted by their clinician regarding their ongoing care. If you require a blood test whilst shielding as part of your care, appointment details including when and where your blood test will be carried out will be sent to you via a text message from SwiftQueue who manage our blood test bookings.
If you have regular blood tests and have been asked to have these, please ensure you have blood forms at home available; if you haven’t please contact your specialty to have some sent to you in advance of your blood tests.
Older People and Vulnerable Adults
People who are in the groups identified by the government as higher risk e.g are over 70 or receive a yearly flu jab, but are not in the very high risk (requiring shielding) group, can attend our normal blood test clinics. The blood test clinics and waiting areas have been adapted so that social distancing can be maintained.
Please check the locations on the map below.
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.