Introduction

The genomics and personalised medicine service provides genetic testing for patients with rare and inherited disease and for patients with cancer. Clinical services will work closely with the National Genomics Laboratory network will improve patient access for genetic testing and support the development of more personalised healthcare.

Ordering Genetic Tests

Clinicians based at Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust can request genetic testing following the national genetic test directory. Sometimes genomic testing may be offered as part of research trials. Our team has been supporting clinicians in the process of requesting genetic testing, through specialised consent clinics for Whole Genome Sequencing as well as the support of specialised multidisciplinary clinics by genomic practitioners.

Education and Resources

Introduction to Genomics:

Advances in understanding and technology, coupled with a reduction in cost and time, now means that the use of genomics in routine NHS care is a reality. The information provided by analysing a person’s genetic makeup can be used in a variety of clinical scenarios, from the diagnosis of rare disease to the tracking and treatment of infectious diseases.

Cancer genomics: Oncology is one of the areas of medicine most impacted by genomics. Rapid advances in genomic technologies and medical understanding have not only resulted in developments in treatment and management, but have also opened up innumerable possibilities for research that will enable us to understand, and treat, cancers better.

Inherited and Rare Disease Genomics

Inherited and rare disease genomics: 80 per cent of rare diseases have a genetic component and we can currently only test for about half of these conditions. This means the key to diagnosing these remaining unknown conditions lies in delving into our DNA – this is exactly what the NHS GMS is doing. The GMS is harnessing the power of genomics, the study of genes in our DNA and their function, to help us predict and prevent certain diseases, develop more precise diagnoses and more personalised and targeted treatments – a world-first for a national healthcare system.

Genomics in Primary Care: The Genomics Toolkit has been developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners in partnership with Health Education England Genomics Education Programme. The purpose of this toolkit is to support the increased understanding of genomic medicine and support primary care with increased knowledge of how genomics can contribute to improving patient care. The toolkit provides you with a collection of resources that explain how genomic medicine can be incorporated in primary care.

Our partners:

We work closely with a number of partners and are part of clinical, research and academic networks. Our Trust lies within the North Thames Genomic Medicine Alliance region, which includes three clinical genetics services. The Clinical Genetics Service that supports Imperial patients is the North West Thames Regional Genetics Service. We also collaborate with Imperial College Health Partners and Imperial College London.

Contact the genomic medicine team

Please contact your clinical team for support for genetic tests and results.

If you saw a genomic practitioner as part of your genetic consenting appointment, and would like to ask a question please contact us using the email/number below. Email: imperial.wl.gmc@nhs.net

Phone: 020 3311 0269

If you are a clinician and would like to contact our team to discuss a referral or a project please use the contact details above.