Immunology

We provide a regional service specialising in adult immunodeficiency disorders.

Welcome to Immunology

Watch this walk-through video about our department

Link: https://youtu.be/NQrL8AHIpX4

Video transcript

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Welcome to the Immunology department

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at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

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Our service reviews patients

with no loss suspected

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immune deficiency, immune dysregulation

and hereditary angioedema.

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We serve a population of 6.5 million people

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over an area in the east of England,

comparable to the size of Wales.

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We hold our clinics and either clinic 1a or 2a

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in the main outpatient's department of the hospital.

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On arrival, you will check in with our receptionist

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and then meet a health care assistant

who will take your observations

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such asblood pressure, weight

and oxygen saturations.

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You will then meet the doctor, who will

take a comprehensive medical history

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and examination, and who will discuss

in detail about your medical issues.

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You may then be referred to the

immunology specialist nurse

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for counselling, training, or vaccinations.

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We will then request diagnostics,

primarily in the form of blood tests

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for further evaluation of your immune

system and your general health.

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Respiratory issues are a common

manifestation of immune deficiency,

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so you may require specialist tests

such as lung function testing

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and CT imaging to look at the lungs,

lymphoid tissue and spleen

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and other organs in more detail.

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These will be reported by radiologists

who work closely with our team

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often in our specialised team meetings or MDTs.

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Your blood samples will be analysed in

our NHS immunology laboratory

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which covers the region for immunology testing.

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For some patients, we may need to

send the samples away for

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specialist testing or for research.

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Once the results of all the tests are available,

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your doctor will review and collate

them all and will write to you

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your GP and any relevant other hospital

clinicians, with their overall

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impression of the state of your immune health,

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and will then provide recommendations

on further management

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investigations and review appointments.

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Further management may comprise of antibiotics

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immune modulatory drugs and immunotherapy.

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For example, many valpatients with antibody deficiency

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receive immunoglobin replacement therapy.

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This can be administered in a hospital

infusion centre can be arranged in your local hospital

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where patients can be trained to self administer at home.

Our team of medical consultants, specialist registrars, and specialist nurses offer a range of services including:

Investigation of people who may have immunodeficiency - This is usually someone who is getting many infections.
Investigation of people who may have a secondary immunodeficiency - Investigation of people who may have a secondary immunodeficiency linked to cancer treatments or treatment of autoimmune disorders.
Replacement therapy with immunoglobulins (antibodies) - For people whose immune systems are unable to make enough of their own antibodies, including training for patients to infuse immunoglobulin therapy at home at home.
Hereditary angioedema service - For diagnosis, support and management of this condition.
Specialist clinics for immunodeficiency patients - For patients with respiratory or infectious complications run jointly with the Immunology and other specialist teams.
Transitional care for young adults with immunodeficiency - For patients moving from children’s (paediatric) to adult services.
Management of inpatients - For patients who have been hospitalised with complications arising from immunodeficiency.
Satellite Immunology clinic - Clinics are held at Peterborough City Hospital
Regional Immunoglobulin Approval Panel - Hosts of the regional Immunoglobulin Approval Panel.
We also work closely with colleagues from other specialties to provide advice on immunology, including on the results of tests from the immunology laboratory.

Clinic 1a sign. A hospital map is also shown on the image with location.

Non-urgent advice: Clinic opening times

General immunology clinics

Monday: 14:00 – 17:00
Tuesday: 09:30 – 13:00
Wednesday: 09:00 – 13:00
Thursday: 09:00 – 12:00
Friday: 09:30 – 12:30

General immunology satellite clinic

Held at Peterborough hospital
Tuesdays 9am - 12.30pm

General information

We invite new patients to attend our clinic in person for their first appointment.

In some cases telephone or video appointments may be offered for follow up appointments.

Patients are seen in the general Immunology clinic (Cambridge or Peterborough) in the first instance and may subsequently be followed up in a joint specialist clinic:

Joint clinic with allergy department, clinic 2a

HAE (Hereditary Angioedema)
2nd Friday, alternate months, 9am - 12pm

Joint clinic with infectious diseases, clinic 1a

(DSKL) 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month 2pm - 4pm

Joint clinic with respiratory department, clinic 2a

(DSKJOINT) 1st and 4th Friday of the month 9am - 2pm

Special requirements

Should you have any specific requirements relating to your appointment and / or accessibility concerns please email the accessibility team.

An immunology patient at an appointment, sat with their back to camera, facing a doctor who is at a desk that includes a computer screen and keyboard.

Your referral

As a patient you may be referred into the Immunology service from primary, secondary and tertiary health service providers through written referral. Our aim is for you to be seen within eight weeks of a referral being received, sooner if triaged as urgent.

You will be seen by a clinical immunologist in the first instance. Immune investigations may be requested. Blood tests may be undertaken at the same time if you are seen at the hospital, or forms sent to have blood taken at a later date.

A patient breathing into a mouth piece that is attached to a lung function machine.

Other tests requested will usually be carried out at a separate appointment (e.g. lung function testing, x-rays or scans).

Who we work with

We work closely with members of the multidisciplinary team and our colleagues from different teams including:

Paediatric immunology

Dr Helen Baxendale
Catherine O’Sullivan

Respiratory

Dr Clare Sander

Infectious diseases

Dr Effrossyni Gkrania-Klotsas
Dr Hoi Ping Mok
Professor Lalita Ramakrishnan

Gastroenterology / hepatology team

Dr Jeremy Woodward
Dr William Griffiths

Immunoglobulin therapy

We support more than 400 patients receiving immunoglobulin replacement (antibody infusions). This can be delivered into a vein or under the skin: Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) or Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIG). IVIG is usually delivered in hospital. SCIG can be delivered at home.

Most of our patients opt to be trained to manage their own treatment and receive training in immunoglobulin home therapy in a nurse led clinic. They are then supported through annual reviews and specialist clinics for:

Immunoglobulin Infusions – IVIG, SCIG and manual push injection method as appropriate
Home Care Therapy Training and nurse led reviews of Immunoglobulin therapy
Clinical Nurse Specialist Telephone and email support

Hereditary angioedema (HAE)

We have an established service supporting patient care and management of this condition including:

Avoidance of precipitating factors
Treatment of acute attacks
Prevention
Home therapy training for a range of treatment options

Research

The Department has links with the University of Cambridge and takes part in local and national studies.

Satellite Services

A satellite service is hosted a Peterborough hospital on Tuesdays for patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiency including:

Outpatient clinics
Immunoglobulin infusions – IVIG

A member of the immunology team in the immunology lab. The person is wearing blue gloves and has a small bottle in one hand and a large pipette in the other.

Information for patients

We value your feedback, views and input to our services. If you have any suggestions of feedback please contact our patient advice and liaison service (PALS).

We want to ensure that Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundations Trust’s immunology department takes account of the views, opinions, and experiences of the patients and carers who use their services. Feedback from immunology patients are needed to help us improve our services and better meet the needs of the local community.

Whatever your experience with our team we invite you to get in touch and let us know.

Please let us know your views on the CUH website.

We host immunology patient days with updates and educational lectures, we will keep you informed of upcoming events.