Introduction to the Regional Clinical Genetics Service

At least 1 in 20 individuals under the age of 25 develops a serious disease with an important genetic component. A UK study showed genetically determined diseases contribute about 40% to the total childhood mortality rate.

Clinical genetics is a medical speciality which is concerned with the cause, course, diagnosis and treatment of genetic and part-genetic disorders. The service offers a family based diagnostic approach and specialised non-directive counselling skills in clinics in Birmingham and throughout the West Midlands Region. Individuals and families use the Service for information about genetic risks. For some disorders, presymptomatic diagnosis is possible which allows surveillance for complications.

Individuals and families are becoming increasingly aware of the genetic contribution to disease. Many wish to have information so that they can seek to prevent complications in someone who is already affected or to reduce the risk of recurrence within the family.

We aim to meet this need by providing diagnosis, information, risk estimation, genetic counselling, management and support to individual patients and families with genetic disorders, through a family based diagnostic approach and specialised counselling skills.

This page was last modified on Fri Jul 30 2010