Podiatrists diagnose and treat abnormalities of the lower limb and feet.

The department offers treatment and gives professional advice on the prevention of foot problems and on personalised care of the foot.

The podiatry department provides a comprehensive foot care service including:

• Wound care – for both diabetic and non-diabetic patients
• Nail surgery (removal of ingrowing toenails)
• Musculoskeletal biomechanics service for adult and children (assessment of gait and lower limb function)
• Ongoing preventative foot care to patients at risk of deterioration
• Education to promote self-management

The podiatry service is currently available to anyone who has a medical or podiatric need for treatment or prevention.

Patients can access either via self-referral or via a referral from a GP or health care professional.

Podiatry is provided at health and social care centres, health centres, clinics, and patients’ homes if housebound.

How to access the service

Self-referrals:

If you would like to make a self-referral, please complete the form found here: Podiatry self-referral form and email it to: dgft.podiatry.referrals@nhs.net

Alternatively, please post it to:

Admin Office, Self-Referrals, Podiatry, Lower Ground Floor, Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre, Venture Way, Brierley Hill, West Midlands, DY5 1RU

All referrals will be clinically triaged and if they meet our service criteria an appointment will be offered.

This service is available at the Community Health & Social Care Centres and clinics throughout the Dudley borough.

Dudley Pathology Service is one of the most up-to-date pathology laboratories in the West Midlands and provides a comprehensive range of clinical services and diagnostic investigations across the following Image of member of staff with blood specimen disciplines:

• Biochemistry (inc. molecular genetics)
• Haematology (inc. blood transfusion)
• Histopathology (inc. histology and non-gynae cytology)
• Immunology
• Microbiology

Using the latest technology, we can provide a high quality service and a rapid turn around of investigations to all of our users. The department is a UK demonstration site for the latest technology in specimen processing and has some of the most advanced techniques, including DNA analysis (genetic testing). Our commitment to quality is supported by UKAS accreditation for the majority of the services we provide.

We also provide anticoagulant services at both Russells Hall and Corbett hospitals and in the community, providing a wide choice to suit the needs and lifestyle of patients including:

• Open-access phlebotomy service Monday to Friday until at least 6.00pm at both hospitals and Saturday mornings at Russells Hall Hospital
• Anticoagulant services at both hospitals

Consultants in Pathology provide many specialist clinics for patients with blood disorders, allergies, lipids (cholesterol) and weight problems. Russells Hall Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in the West Midlands that provides some of these services.

Information about Black Country Pathology Services – Black Country Pathology Services – Patients, People, Pathology

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is a NHS ultrasound test to check if there’s a swelling in your aorta, which is the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the tummy (abdomen).

All men living in England are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening the year they turn 65. Men are invited for AAA screening because they’re more likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The ultrasound test will be carried out at a local health care venue.

AAA screening is recommended for anyone assigned male at birth. This includes men, trans women and non-binary people.

Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on disease of the urinary tract and urogenital system. Urology focuses on the kidneys, urinary bladder, urethra, male reproductive organs and male fertility. Urologists are also trained in the surgical and medical treatment of diseases that affect these organs.

The urology service is located across all hospital sites, Russells Hall Hospital, Guest Outpatient Centre and Corbett Outpatient Centre. The urology inpatient services are situated on ward C6 (second floor) at Russells Hall Hospital.

Some of the services we offer include:

• Flow clinics (investigations of lower urinary tract problems)
• Flexible Cystoscopy (camera into the bladder)
• Urodynamics (complex investigations of lower urinary tract problems)
• Catheterisation
• Blood tests
• Rapid access prostate clinics
• Prostate biopsies
• Bladder biopsies
• Prostate resection surgery
• Bladder tumour resections
• BCG (chemical solution into the bladder for bladder cancer)
• Circumcision (removal of the foreskin)
• Stent insertion
• Removal of bladder stones (cystolitholapaxy)
• Adult plastic surgery to men for hypospadias
• Urethral strictures and penile deformity
• Hormone therapy
• Management of Haematuria (blood in the urine)
• Nephrectomies (removal of kidney)

Russells Hall Hospital is part of a large cancer network involving other hospital trusts. Sometimes, when a patient is diagnosed with cancer, it may be more appropriate for them to be treated in another trust.

For example, Radical Cystectomy (bladder removal) and Radical Prostatectomy (prostate removal) patients are referred to The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (New Cross Hospital) in Wolverhampton, following a discussion at a urology multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting.

Urology cancers

• Prostate Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Penile Cancer

The paediatric and neonatal clinical unit is based at Russells Hall Hospital and consists of three separate areas:

• Neonatal unit
• Paediatric ward
• Paediatric outpatients

The neonatal unit is a service for newborn babies. If a baby is discharged then re-admitted, the baby will go on to the paediatric unit. The paediatric unit treats babies and children up to the age of 16 years old.

The multi-disciplinary team works closely with other departments within the Trust and external partners such as Primary Care Trusts, Social Services and GPs to provide a high standard of care for babies, children and young people.

Neonatal Unit (Second Floor, East Wing)

The neonatal unit has 18 cots – three neonatal intensive care, two high dependency and 13 special care cots. There are three cubicles for babies requiring isolation and we have 4 cots  in the maternity unit where we deliver transitional care.

You can now view a virtual 3D tour of the neonatal unit by clicking below.

Paediatric Ward (Second Floor, East Wing)

The paediatric ward has 41 beds, divided into nine side rooms with en-suite facilities, eight four-bedded bays and a resuscitation room. There are:

• Dedicated bays for observation including an examination room
• Day case area
• Dedicated adolescent area with single-sex facilities and a sitting room

There are facilities for parents including:

• A parent’s room
• A quiet sitting adolescent room
• Toilets and bathroom
• Beds are provided at the child’s/young person’s bedside for a parent or carer to reside overnight

Children’s Outpatients Department (Ground floor, East Wing)

The children’s outpatients department provides clinics for general paediatrics, neonatology, diabetes, respiratory, neurodevelopment and emotional/behavioural clinics. There is also a dedicated assessment unit and nursery with therapists based in the unit. It provides excellent support to children with various disabilities.

C4 (Georgina Unit) specialises in treating haematology patients with both benign and malignant diseases. There are eight haematology consultants supported by a two permanent specialty doctors and registrars. There are four clinical nurse specialists within the team. The unit has level III accreditation, which enables us to perform apheresis and autologous stem cell transplants. It is a 22 bedded unit with six positive pressure isolation rooms which have en-suite facilities. All beds in the inpatient unit have individual televisions that are free for patients to use throughout their stay. The unit also has a day case, compromising of 12 reclining chairs and two triage trolley spaces. The triage service runs on SDEC from 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, where patients can be assessed and treated as needed. Out of these hours, there is a 24 hour telephone advice line for patients. There is a home chemotherapy service available to haematology patients on selected treatments.

Within the unit, there are outpatient clinics that run each day with two dedicated waiting rooms, both with television screens and access to a free drinks machine. Within the POD waiting room, there is a phlebotomy service each weekday morning to ensure that patients can have urgent blood tests performed.

The Anticoagulation Department is a nurse-led service with consultant haematologist support and led by clinical nurse specialist for anticoagulation/thrombosis. The team are responsible for ensuring the safe management of patients who require anticoagulation for various conditions including DVT, PE, AF and patients who require treatment to prevent DVT and PE during pregnancy or whilst in hospital.

On behalf of the team who will be caring for you, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Russells Hall Hospital.

This elective medical unit treats over 6000 patients a year from six different specialities to help control and alleviate their medical conditions and avoid hospital admission. Our treatments range from infusions, transfusions and injections, to biopsies and paracentesis drains. We pride ourselves on the standard of care we give and the relationships we build with our patients.

The Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic is a dedicated and experienced nurse led team. The team provides assessment, scanning, clinical care, counselling, advice, management and follow-up for ladies experiencing difficulties in the early stages of pregnancy.

The unit can provide assistance to ladies who are between 6 and 20 weeks gestation, have a positive pregnancy test and are experiencing bleeding, pain or other complications in early pregnancy.

The dedicated Endocrine and Diabetes Centre operates from the north wing at Russells Hall Hospital. The centre assists in the long-term management of patients with diabetes and endocrine conditions.

Diabetes

Patients can benefit from services such as:

• Specialist diabetes service during hospital stay
• Multi-disciplinary support for intensive insulin therapy
• Pre-conception and antenatal care
• Adolescence care
• Hybrid Closed Loop Insulin pump treatment
• Carbohydrate counting courses
• Specialist foot clinic
• Optimisation of diabetes control ahead of elective procedures.

We are also a research active unit and conduct clinical trials as well as real-world studies.

We are a centre for the ADDRESS-2 study, which invites patients with type 1 diabetes diagnosed in the last 6 months to join. Further information is found here: ADDRESS-2 type 1 diabetes – Supporting type 1 diabetes research

Endocrinology

The endocrinology department offers a wide range of services, including:

• General endocrinology
• Pituitary
• Growth
• Adrenal
• Thyroid
• Calcium and metabolic bone disorders

In addition, we have a reproductive endocrinology service which also includes management of:

• Subfertility
• Endocrine disorders during pregnancy
• Gonadal disorders

The endocrine service is multi-disciplinary and supported by a dedicated endocrine nurse specialist.

We also offer for our primary care colleagues, consultant-led e-referral advice and guidance system, as well as practice-based diabetes MDT review. The quality of our services have been commended nationally and by peer review via the Getting It Right First Time Programme.

The Disability Support Team offers a Case Management service to people with acquired complex or severe physical and cognitive impairment to help them achieve a full and purposeful life. The service is available to people who:

• Are aged 16-64 years or are in receipt of working age benefits.
• Have a complex/severe physical and/or cognitive needs.

OR

• Have a progressive medical condition e.g. MS, MND, Parkinson’s Disease,  complex need.

OR

• Have an Acquired Brain Injury.

Patients are allocated to a Case Manager who will discuss issues that the patient has identified as being important to them. The Case Manager will use their expertise, extensive contacts, knowledge of the services available and a problem-solving approach to establish agreed and shared goals. This often runs alongside therapy input and allows patients to focus and maximise their rehabilitation therapy interventions during therapy sessions, knowing that Case Managers can support with the other complexities that can affect day to day life.

Case Managers also have experiencing in supporting individuals with Acquired Brain Injury and can provide skilled intervention to address the needs of their ‘hidden’ disability.

The Disability Support Team is a community-based service and therefore patients are usually seen in their homes and supported in the community. Case Managers support with issues such as disability related benefits, housing, education, return to work, getting back out into the community, accessing services and liaising with professionals.