Royal Free Hospital, London

The unit was first established over twenty years ago as a service for patients with Gaucher’s disease. Following a successful trial of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Anderson-Fabry disease between 1999-2002 the centre started to treat patients with this condition as well.

The National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/NSCAG/ have now designated this unit as one of the eight specialist units in the UK for all lysosomal storage disorders for which treatments are available.

The centre is for the management of adult patients but works closely with colleagues at Addenbrooke’s Hospital (Cambridge) and Great Ormond Street (London) for the assessment and treatment of affected children.

Patients
The unit offers diagnostic screening, assessment, treatment and monitoring. Patients can come from all over the UK. Almost all of those requiring treatment receive this in their home or at their local hospital. Patients receiving treatment attend every six months. Others attend yearly.

The unit benefits from being part of a large single-site teaching hospital with most clinical tests and an array of complementary specialities all under one roof. We have an ‘open door’ policy.

The Royal Free is in Hampstead, North London. This is outside of the central zone requiring the congestion charge. Help is also available for expenses for those who have to travel from other parts of the UK.

Research
The unit is a major centre for research into lysosomal storage disorders including clinical trials in treatment modalities, the search for bio-markers (to measure treatment outcomes) and the aetiology of the conditions.

Who are we and how can you contact us?
 Postal Address
The Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit
The Royal Free Hospital
Pond St.
London NW3 2QG
Direct line and fax 0207 472 6409

Contacts
Professor Atul Mehta, MA., MD., FRCP, FRC Path Consultant haematologist & clinical director - RFH Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit E-mail: atul.mehta1@nhs.net

Dr. Derralynn Hughes MA. DPhil, MRCP., MRCPath., Senior lecturer and honorary consultant haematologist - RFH Lysosomal Storage Disorders Unit E-mail:
d.hughes@medsch.ucl.ac.uk

Linda Richfield - LSDU lead specialist nurse practitioner
E-mail:  linda.richfield@nhs.net

Alan Milligan - LSDU senior specialist nurse practitioner
E-mail:  alanmilligan@nhs.net

Juniebel Cooke - LSDU specialist nurse practitioner E-mail : juniebel.cooke@nhs.net

Anna Saranillo - LSDU specialist nurse practitioner
E-mail:  anna.fernandez-saranillo@nhs.net

Jacira Marino - LSDU staff nurse
E-mail : jacira.marino@nhs.net

For more information visit our website www.royalfree.nhs.uk