Consultants in the North West

[merryway]

Wondering if anybody can recommend the name of a good consultant in the North of England or Southern Scotland. I am thinking of getting a private appointment to try and get some answers about the symptoms suggestive of GCA, that I've had for about a year now.

[jinasc]

This support group has a Consultant as a Patron.

pmrgcasupport.co.uk

Well worth contacting as they know of good Consultants.

[merryway in reply to jinasc]

Thanks very much for your good advice

[SheffieldJane]

Well my Rheumatologist is wonderful. Her name is Sarah Mackie , she is based at Chapel Alperton Hospital near Leeds. She also practices in The Wharfdale Hospital in Otley, also near Leeds. She has a particular interest in our conditions and could be described as a leader in the field. She is also lovely. I haven’t seen her for a while because she has been unwell but it would be worth exploring getting on to her list.

[merryway in reply to SheffieldJane]

Thank you so much. She sounds great

[SheffieldJane in reply to merryway]

In my haste I spelled her name wrongly it is Sarah Mackie and yes she is great!

[Hidden]

Someone commented Leeds may not be the centre for GCA but more like PMR. If that's what you are looking for...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Leeds is also good for GCA - they have a superb multi-disciplinary team. But Sarah's interest is primarily PMR.

[Hidden]

Really? We never get to hear about this "multi-disciplinary" team. I wonder why? Yes, that's what I roughly meant. It is "primarily PMR" that this doctor is interested in. NHS is so complicated unless you know who does XYZ and he or she wouldn't do ..etc.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

They have people in the research department who have interests in various things - Sarah's "thing" is PMR, Prof Ann Morgan is vasculitis, including GCA, but she also does Behcets and RA.

medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/profi...

As far as I know they are not full-time clinicians and won't see every GCA or PMR who turns up - but they are there for advice. And they do consult each other. Leeds is a large Trust with people who do a lot of research. That doesn't apply in local hospitals in the same way. But the NHS is what it is - and free at point of receipt still.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I have heard her name from time to time on the hub. I would be keen to go to one in Manchester if I ever decide to see someone on the NHS (not at present). There was a female speaker from Leeds at one of the Vasculitis UK's conferences but I believe she's not a clinician in Leeds, either. Yorkshire seems like a tricky place as far as I gather from FB by other posters when it comes to Vasculitis type illness. I find that it's poorly signposted, generally (without your great input! x) and I feel for poor GPs.

[lindyloy]

I as referred to Professor Morgan by my Rheum. I had to wait the normal time but was glad that I did. Eileen spoke highly of her so that was good enough for me. I got a definite diagnosis after nearly two years, I got down to 20mgs. a day in August2017 to 6mgs. now. (I also take 10mgs. of Leflunomide), she is very nice and I trust her totally.

[Hidden]

Does she offer any vascular investigations e.g. vascular scans/MRA etc. if you don't mind me asking this, lindyloy? Pleased to hear about something positive. There was one lady, who posted of late. She had a very bad experience.

[lindyloy]

She tapered me down to have a PET/CT scan, (I had one a year before), she also arranged an Angiogram aorta scan, and a DXA scan. They also re-examined my Temporal Biopsy results which were non-specific in Nov.2015 as the Dr. who is a leading figure in these things had been ill but had returned to work, and in her opinion I had GCA. I started off on my "journey" at Dewsbury Gen. Hosp. in 2015, and have no complaints whatsoever about any of my treatment there either. I had X-rays and a Bone marrow test there and was more than satisfied with the Drs. I think that there are bound to be bad experiences in some parts of the NHS, but hearing other peoples stories in places where they are not so lucky and the lack of money is a big worry, I personally count my blessings.