Our centre has specialist team members who provide care for and support people with neuromuscular conditions including:
- Neurologists
- Neurophysiologists
- Neuropathologists
- Clinical geneticists
- Neurophysiotherapist
- Neuromuscular Care Advisor
We also work jointly with the respiratory and cardiac teams as well as other medical specialists who may be involved in your care.
We have now started treating adults with SMA with Nusinersen (Spinraza) and Risdiplam. Adults can be referred to our centre for their treatment via their GP. The GP can make the referral to Dr Clare Galtrey, consultant Neurologist, St Georges Hospital. We can also support the transition of treatment from paediatric to adult services in collaboration with your paediatric team.
You may be referred to the Atkinson Morley Neuromuscular Centre for a diagnosis, or you may be referred with an existing condition for specialist treatment and management.
As a regional specialist centre, the neuromuscular team works closely with other clinical teams from across St George’s and other hospitals in south west London and Surrey. We also work with GPs and community therapy teams to help patients manage their condition and symptoms outside of hospital.
How to access the service
The neuromuscular service accepts referrals from GPs via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) or from Secondary Care physicians by letter.
The team
Dr Niranjanan Nirmalananthan
Consultant Neurologist
Dr Niranjanan Nirmalananthan’s main specialist interests are in neuromuscular disorders. He runs weekly regional specialist clinics for nerve and muscle disease. In addition he sees general inpatient and outpatient neurology at St Geroge’s. His main academic interests are in neurogenetics.
Dr Rebecca Cooper
Consultant Neurologist
Dr Ali Al-Memar
Consultant Neurologist
Dr Emma Matthews
Consultant Neurologist
Dr Matthews’ main clinical interests are in neuromuscular diseases with a sub-specialty interest in muscle and nerve channelopathies and myotonic disorders. She joined the Atkinson Morley Neuromuscular Centre in June 2020 and leads the transition service for young adults with neuromuscular disorders. She also runs specialist clinics for muscle channelopathies, small fibre neuropathies and episodic pain syndromes.
Pamela Appleton
Neuromuscular Care Advisor for adults and young adults of transition age
The Neuromuscular Care Advisor (NMCA) provides practical and emotional support for people with long-term, progressive neuromuscular conditions living in Surrey. The NMCA will work closely with other professionals to provide advice and support to ensure high quality care is provided to people with neuromuscular conditions.
The following support can be provided through face-to-face clinics, telephone and virtual consultations:
• Advice and information about your condition
• Help with access to benefits and care
• Liaison with local therapy and social care teams
• Advice managing with work
• Fatigue management advice
• Home visits for people living in Surrey will be offered to those with specific needs who are unable to attend clinics
If you live in Surrey and would like to be referred to the NMCA this can be requested via your GP or hospital consultant.
I also provide specialist advice and support to people you do not live in Surrey when they attend clinic to see their Neuromuscular Consultant at St Georges Hospital.
Dr Pablo Garcia-Reitboeck
Consultant Neurologist
Dr Garcia Reitboeck’s specialist interests lie in acute neurology, myasthenia gravis, motor neuron disease and cognitive neurology. He runs weekly regional specialist clinics for myasthenia gravis and motor neuron disease as well as weekly rapid access acute neurology clinics and covers neurological emergencies presenting to the emergency department, acute medical unit and ambulatory care unit.
Dr Clare Galtrey
Consultant Neurology
Dr Galtrey has clinical interests in motor nerve diseases and epilepsy. She runs a regional Motor Nerve Clinic seeing patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Motor Neurone Disease at St George’s Hospital. She also sees general neurology inpatients and outpatients and runs the epilepsy clinic and motor neurone disease clinic at Frimley Park Hospital.
Sherryl Chatfield
Specialist Neuromuscular Physiotherapist
Sherryl is involved in the SMA service alongside Dr Galtrey. In addition, she runs a specialist physiotherapy-led clinic for people with CMT, as well as providing physiotherapy assesments and advice for people with other neuromuscular conditions.
Other key people in the team include:
- Dr Mushriq Al-Khayatt, Consultant Neurophysiologist
- Dr Abdel Devadass, Consultant Neuropathologist
- Dr Hamid Modarres, Consultant Neurophysiologist
- Dr Leslie Bridges, Consultant Neuropathologist
- Dr Paul Johns, Consultant Neuropathologist
- Dr Christina Vina, Consultant Neurophysiologist
- Dr David Martin-Lopez, Consultant Neurophysiologist
- Dr Maite Tome, Consultant Cardiologist
- Professor Elijah Behr, Consultant Cardiologist
- Dr Nicola Walters, Consultant Respiratory Physician
- Dr Susannah Leaver, Consultant Respiratory Physician
- Ms Sam Prigmore, Consultant Respiratory Nurse
- Ms Sara Parsons, Consultant Respiratory Clinical Scientist
Clinics
Some of the specialist Neuromuscular Clinics that we run at St George's:
1. Transition clinic for young adults to facilitate their transition from paediatric to adult care. We aim to coordinate your transition with the whole MDT, including your respiratory and cardiology care if desired. This service is run by Dr Emma Matthews, Consultant Neurologist with special interest in Neuromuscular conditions, and supported by Pamela Appleton, Neuromuscular Care Advisor
2. SMA clinic – we are one of the first centres to deliver Nusinersen treatment to adults with SMA in the UK. We started delivering Nusinersen to adults in September 2020. The service is run by Dr Clare Galtrey and supported by a specialist Neuromuscular Physiotherapist and Neuromuscular Care Advisor.
3. Myotonic Dystrophy Clinic – We aim to provide a holistic service to address all your concerns when you attend clinic. We also try to coordinate your appointments with Neurology, Cardiology and Respiratory so that you only need to attend hospital on one day.
Adult
Clinics are held at St George's Hospital
- Muscle clinic
- Peripheral Nerve Clinic
- Transition clinic: Transition clinic for young adults to facilitate their transition from paediatric to adult care. We aim to coordinate your transition with the whole MDT, including your respiratory and cardiology care if desired. This service is run by Dr Emma Matthews, Consultant Neurologist with special interest in Neuromuscular conditions, and supported by Pamela Appleton, Neuromuscular Care Advisor.
- SMA clinic: We are one of the first centres to deliver Nusinersen treatment to adults with SMA in the UK. We started delivering Nusinersen to adults in September 2020. The service is run by Dr Clare Galtrey and supported by a specialist Neuromuscular Physiotherapist and Neuromuscular Care Advisor. We are now also able to prescribe Risdiplam via the Early Access Scheme.
- Myotonic Dystrophy Clinic: We aim to provide a holistic service to address all your concerns when you attend clinic. We also try to coordinate your appointments with Neurology, Cardiology and Respiratory so that you only need to attend hospital on one day where possible.
- Myasthenia Clinic
- Channelopathy Clinic
- Motor Neurone Disease Clinic
We also have general neurology clinics and other specialities within the Neurosciences Department.