Staff & Recruitment

Applications for our NHSGGC Get Ready for Nursing Programme are now open!

This is a 3 day timetabled programme delivered by NHS and Educational Professionals to support your Application to study Adult or Child Nursing or Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing.

This programme will be delivered by NHSGGC Nursing Staff and will be take place 03^rd June 2024 – 05^th June 2024 at West Glasgow ACH in Patrick

This opportunity above is now closed (May 2024). for info on new and upcoming nursing programmes please join our mailing list for notification of when programmes are open for applications

Activities

Discussion workshops

Hosted by the Employability Team, Nursing Practice and Nursing Education

Colleagues and University and College Admissions Teams,

–        The application process for Nursing

–        Career pathways within Nursing.

Workshops for Adult and Paediatric Nursing

Activities delivered by Nursing Practice and Nursing Education Colleagues will include:

–        Patient observations

–        Venepuncture and Cannulation (simulation using mannequins)

–        Food, Fluid and Nutrition

–        Operating Department Practice

–        Core nursing skills

–        Medical equipment

–        Skills Workshops for Adult and Paediatric Nursing –  Skills Workshops for Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing

Thinking of Studying Midwifery? 

We are developing run half day workshops to give you an insight into the role of a midwife.

The Get Ready for Nursing Programme is offer twice a year in June and December and delivered from our training suite at West Glasgow ACH in Partick.

Apply to join our mailing list for notification of when programmes are open for applications

Please note that NHSGGC does not host “Shadowing” within a number of professions including Medicine. All requests for work experience, to source placements or support self found placements for Medicine will be re directed to the Get Ready for Medicine Programme.

The programme of activity for Get Ready for Medicine will take place as follows:

January to March – Online evening lecture events and half day work experience workshops for S5, gap year and access students and postgraduate applicants planning October applications

June to July – NHSGGC will support delivery of Medic Insight Glasgow Programme (please make sure you are following Medic Insight Glasgow social media platforms)

September to October – Online evening lecture events and half day workshops for S6 pupils making applications in October

Sept 2024 Programme Applications now OPEN

An online lecture evening “Speed through the Specialities” on Tuesday, 17th September 2024.

Face-to-Face Work Experience Workshops: Get Ready for Medicine on Friday, 20th September 2024.

This even open to anyone who is applying to medical school next October who hasn’t previously attended a GRfM workshop event. 

https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/6D67D6BE01D6196A

You can Join our mailing list for notification of when upcoming programmes will open for applications for next intake.

We would also advise to make sure you have a look at the information below for the Reach Programme and Medic Insight Glasgow Programme. Also make sure are following Medic Insight Glasgow social media platforms (i.e. Facebook) for the Medic Insight Glasgow Programme and some Guidance for aspiring doctors from current medical students. See more details below:

Other Resources

You can visit the Becoming a Doctor webpage and YouCanBeADoctor to view content that may help you gain insight and support your application to study medicine.

The NHSGGC Get Ready for Dentistry is a 3 day timetabled programme delivered by NHS Professionals to support your UCAS Application. 

The intention is to deliver a meaningful programme of activity that will give participants more to speak about within their UCAS application and at interview.

The programme delivered is by NHSGGC Dental Professionals and colleges form the wider Dental Team.  

Activities

Discussion workshops hosted by the Dental Team

• The application process for dentistry
• Life as a student
• Life as a dentist
• Career pathways within dentistry

Hands on workshops include:

• Patient observations
• Core dental skills
• Dental equipment
• Tours.

Following suspension during the pandemic we are now working to re-establish our programmes.  Full details of these will be published on these webpages and we send alerts to our mailing list contacts also.

Apply to join our mailing list for notification when these programmes open

Get Ready for Physiotherapy offers a one- day placement in one of our hospital settings, shadowing a physiotherapist in two different specialties, to provide insight into the role of a physiotherapy and the environment in which they work.  Placements are hosted once a month between March and November.

This programme is designed for S5/S6 pupils, gap year students and postgraduate applicants who are on track to meet the eligibility criteria for an undergraduate/postgraduate physiotherapy programme.  Demand for places means that there is a strict application process which includes an online application.

2024 Phase 1: 6th March 2024, 3rd April 2024, 1st May 2024, 5th June 2024

Phase 1 March – June programme Applications now CLOSED as of Tuesday 30th Jan 2024 @ 13.00

For future dates for the next Phases in 2024 register here.

Activities

Discussion workshops that include:

• The application process for physiotherapy
• Life as a Student
• Life as a Physiotherapist
• Career pathways within Physiotherapy.

Hands on workshops include:

• Tours of wards and specialty areas, e.g. rehabilitation suites
• Speciality specific workshops, e.g. cardiac rehabilitation.

Full details of these will be published on these webpages and we send alerts to our mailing list contacts also.

Apply to join our mailing list for notification of when programmes are open for applications

This programme is designed to support those with an interest in a career in Psychology we run a half day workshop at West Glasgow ACH in Partick

The workshops will be delivered by psychology trainees and staff from the University of Glasgow Doctorate in Clinical Psychology training programme along with colleagues from NES funded Clinical Associate in Applied Psychology and Health Psychology programmes

Apply to join our mailing list for notification of when additional programmes open for applications

Activities

Discussion workshops hosted by Clinical Psychology Team:

• Quiz activities
• Presentations from psychological practitioners in training
• Learning a psychological model
• Valuable insights to support further education choices and career planning

Discussion topics will include:

• What is psychology and what is psychological therapy?
• What does a psychology career in NHS Scotland look like?
• What does training in NHS Scotland involve?
• What are the pathways into training?

Apply to join our mailing list for notification of when additional programmes open for applications

The NHSGGC Get Ready for Speech and Language Therapy is a 3 day timetabled programme delivered by NHS Professionals to support your UCAS Application. 

The intention is to deliver a meaningful programme of activity that will give participants more to speak about within their UCAS application and at interview.

The programme delivered by NHSGGC Speech and Language Professionals and colleagues form the wider Speech and Language Services Team.  

Activities

Discussion workshops hosted by Speech and Language Therapy Team:

• The application process for speech and language therapy
• Life as a student
• Life as a speech and language therapy 
• Career pathways within speech and language therapy.

Hands on workshops include:

• Patient observations
• Core skills
• Tours of clinical areas.

Following suspension during the pandemic we are now working to re-establish our programmes.  Full details of these will be published on these webpages and we send alerts to our mailing list contacts also.

Apply to join our mailing list for notification of when programmes are ready.

Anti-glycolipid antibodies are found in a significant proportion of patients with a variety of autoimmune peripheral neuropathies. They are measured in the serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A wide variety of anti-glycolipid antibodies are present under different clinical circumstances and the laboratory offers a range of diagnostic tests using a panel of up to 12 glycolipid antigens. Such investigations can be useful to classify acute and chronic motor or sensory neuropathies and thus aide diagnosis and clinical management.  

Anti-glycolipid antibodies are associated with several distinct peripheral nerves syndromes: Multifocal motor neuropathy is associated with anti-GM1, -GA1 and -GD1b IgM antibodies. Chronic ataxic neuropathy with ophthalmoplegia M-protein, cold agglutination, and disialosyl antibodies (acronym: CANOMAD) is associated with anti-GD1b and related IgM antibodies. Miller Fisher syndrome is associated with anti-GQ1b and -GT1a IgG antibodies. Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) is associated with anti-GM1 and -GD1a IgG antibodies.  

A clinically important form of IgM paraproteinaemic neuropathy is associated with antibodies to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and a closely related glycolipid termed sulphated glucuronyl paragloboside. These antibodies are detected by a commercial ELISA assay kit using MAG as the antigen. The neuropathy has a characteristic clinic pattern and in the vast majority of cases is associated with an IgM gammopathy. Around 50% of patients with neuropathy-associated IgM gammopathy have anti-MAG antibodies.  

ELISAs depend on the fact that antibodies or antigen can be linked to an enzyme, with the complex retaining both immunological and enzymatic activity. In these assays the antigen (ganglioside) is attached to a solid phase support (ELISA plate) to allow for easy separation of bound and free antibody (patient serum). Detection is by a horseradish peroxidase labelled anti-human serum which can be visualized by a colour reagent and read spectrophotometrically.   1ml of serum is required for these investigations.  

The assay is conducted two tothree times per week and results are reported the following day.

Antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) are present in a very high proportion of patients with the neuromuscular transmission disorder, myasthenia gravis (MG). Myasthenia gravis is clinically characterized by generalised muscle weakness with fatiguability (generalised MG). This condition also frequently involves and is isolated to the extraocular muscles, leading to the symptom of double vision (ocular MG). Anti-AChR autoantibodies interfere with normal neuromuscular function by binding to the post-synaptic acetylcholine receptor.  

The disease has a prevalence of approximately 5 per 100,000 individuals and can occur at any age. In women, the disease usually presents between the ages of 20 and 40 years, while disease onset in men typically occurs later in life. There is also a peak of incidence in old and very old age; thus neither age nor sex are precluding factors for anti-AChR screening. MG also has a strong association with tumours of the thymus (thymoma).  

Approximately 90% of patients with generalised MG have these antibodies detectable in their serum. In patients with purely ocular MG the proportion of positive patients is lower at approximately 70%. A positive result is up to 99% specific for MG. Antibody titres tend to be higher in females and a correlation between antibody titre and the degree of muscle weakness has been observed in longitudinal studies in individual patients; however titre cannot be used to compare severity between individuals. In individual patients with established myasthenia gravis, anti-AChR antibody titres tend to rise several weeks before exacerbations. Remission after thymectomy is associated with a progressive decline in antibody titres. Consequently, serial measurements of acetylcholine receptor antibodies can be useful in monitoring disease progression, as well as the effects of treatment.  

Anti-AChR antibodies can also very rarely be positive in uncomplicated thymoma, primary lung cancer, and in patients with autoimmune liver disease. A negative anti-AChR antibody test does not preclude the diagnosis of MG. Anti-AChR seronegative cases exist, and a proportion of these have antibodies to a neuromuscular protein termed MuSK (muscle specific kinase). In a clinically related condition, the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), antibodies to a presynaptic protein (the voltage gated calcium channel, VGCC) are present.  

The anti-AChR test is conducted by a radioimmunoprecipitation assay using radio-iodinated bungarotoxin bound to acetylcholine receptors that have been extracted from an acetylcholine receptor expressing cell line. 125I-AChR is incubated with test sera and any resulting complex of labelled receptor and receptor antibody is then immunoprecipitated with anti-human IgG. After a centrifugation and wash step the precipitate is counted, and the result is reported as nmol/litre of anti-AChR antibody.  

The assay is conducted once per week and results are despatched the following day. 1ml of serum is required for this investigation.

The clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can be supported by analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In a very high proportion of patients with multiple sclerosis (>90%) the CSF contains oligoclonal bands that are not present in the serum.  

Oligoclonal bands are IgG immunoglobulins secreted by plasma cells that are resident within the CNS in multiple sclerosis. They are secreted into the CSF and can be detected using isoelectric focusing (IEF) in combination with Western blotting. Serum immunoglobulins are also present in low concentration in the CSF and in order to reliably discriminate between locally (CNS) synthesised and systemically synthesised immunoglobulins it is necessary to analyse both serum and CSF collected from a patient at the same time.  

The oligoclonal bands resolved by IEF are visualized by IgG-specific antibody staining. The detection of CSF oligoclonal bands by isoelectric focusing is not absolutely specific for multiple sclerosis. It reaches its maximal value in the differential diagnosis only when other rare causes of CNS inflammation have been excluded.   Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of CSF in agarose gels is followed by passive blotting onto nitrocellulose membrane, followed by immunostaining of IgG by double antibody, using horseradish peroxidase as a visualizing agent.  

Isoelectric focusing is a method of electrophoresis in a pH gradient established between two electrodes and stabilized by carrier ampholytes. In this technique proteins migrate until they align themselves at their isolelectric point (pI),  the point at which a protein possesses no net overall charge and will therefore cease migrating.. It is the electrophoretic technique of choice for detecting CSF immunoglobulin diversity with the highest resolution, in which component that differ by 0.001 of a pH unit can be resolved.  

For this assay 1ml of CSF and 1ml of serum are required. Smaller volumes can be analysed upon request. The assay is conducted twice a week and results are reported the following day.

Anti-neuronal antibodies are present in the serum of patients with paraneoplastic disorders affecting the nervous system. These disorders have a very wide range of clinical presentations and often enter the differential diagnosis of complex neurological problems. Sensitivity and specificity of the tests available are difficult to state and vary according to clinical circumstances.

Negative results do not preclude the possibility of an underlying paraneoplastic disorders. Strongly positive results in appropriate clinical circumstances should lead to a thorough search for an appropriate underlying neoplasm, although this search may ultimately be negative. In many human sera from individuals unaffected by paraneoplastic syndromes, low levels of antibody to paraneoplastic antigens may be detected using the sensitive assays performed; these results must be carefully considered along with the clinical findings in individual patients in order to assess their significance. The laboratory reports the results of the assays without reference to the patient demographics or clinical circumstances. Individual cases in which uncertainty in interpretation exists should be discussed with the laboratory director.
 
Paraneoplastic antigen-antibody pairs include anti-Yo (PCCA), anti-Hu (ANNA-1) and anti-Ri (ANNA-2) antibodies. They are screened in the first instance by immunofluorescent staining of sections from primate cerebellum.

Primate cerebellum can be used to detect the following antibodies:- GAD, PCA (Yo), ANNA1 (Hu), ANNA2 (Ri), Ma2Ta, Amphiphysin, CV2/CRMP5, SOX1, and Tr.
 
Positive or borderline samples are then screened for anti-Hu, -Yo, -Ri, -CV2, -Ma2/Ta, Titin, Recoverin, SOX1 and Amphiphysin activity by Immuno blot analysis using recombinant antigen kits. The recombinant antigen kits are highly sensitive and thus frequently detect low levels of antibody that are unlikely to be of clinical significance
(currently the Euroimmun Neuronal Antigens Profile PLUS RST Kit).
 
1ml of serum is required for these investigations.

The assay is conducted once a week and results reported that day.

Please use this link to view a table describing the most widely recognised associations between antibody, tumour type and clinical presentation:

• Paraneoplastic Antibodies

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis manifests along a spectrum of psychosis, altered behaviour, movement disorder, seizures, autonomic dysfunction and decreased consciousness. In younger patients, particularly female, it is associated with an underlying teratoma. Early identification and treatment with immunotherapy leads to better outcomes (Pubmed ID 23290630). It is less common in older patients (over 45 years old) and they display a less severe phenotype and have poorer outcomes (Pubmed ID23946310).

Antibodies against the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor are identified in our laboratory via indirect immunofluorescence of cell lines transfected with cDNA coding this protein. This test has very high positive and negative predictive values. Testing is carried out on serum or CSF. CSF is preferred for testing since there are fewer false positives or false negatives compared with serum.

Antibodies against the VGKC associated proteins LGI1 and Caspr2 are associated with a number of neurological syndromes.

Anti-LGI1 antibody encephalitis usually manifests in a number of ways. It can cause faciobrachial dystonic seizures (FBDS), other focal seizures – often with prominent autonomic features – a more pronounced limbic encephalitis with amnesia, cognitive decline and seizures, or it can cause a rapidly progressive encephalopathy (Pubmed ID 27590293).

Anti-Caspr2 antibody mediated syndromes include peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, Morvan syndrome and a more protracted, subacute limbic encephalitis with encephalopathy, seizures, cerebellar dysfunction, autonomic disturbance, neuropathic pain, insomnia and weight loss (Pubmed ID 27371488).

Antibodies against Caspr2 or LGI1 are identified in our laboratory via indirect immunofluroscence of cell lines transfected with cDNA coding the protein of interest. This is a very specific and sensitive test for antibodies against these antigens and an alternative to the anti-voltage-gated potassium channel complex antibody (VGKCC) radioimmunoassay.

Antibodies against the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) are associated with a number of neurological syndromes. Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is the most common and clearly associated condition. It is likely that the circulating antibodies are pathogenic in this condition.

The vast majority of patients with SPS have very high serum titres of anti-GAD antibodies. A small number are negative for anti-GAD but have anti-amphiphysin antibodies. In the anti-amphiphysin positive cases there is often a paraneoplastic cause, most commonly breast cancer in women.

Stiff-limb syndrome (SLS) is similar to SPS but the clinical pattern of stiffness and other clinical features differ and the immunological profile also differs, with more patients with SLS being anti-GAD antibody negative.
Progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM) is a more severe, rapidly progressive and fulminant form of SPS that often includes brainstem dysfunction. Some patients are anti-GAD antibody positive but many are not. Other antibodies are also associated with PERM including anti-amphiphysin, anti-glycine and others.

Anti-GAD antibodies have been reported in association with a number of other neurological syndromes including treatment-resistant focal epilepsy, ataxia and others. The relationship between the antibodies and neurological symptoms in these patients is less clear than for SPS.

Lower titres of anti-GAD antibodies are seen in patients with autoimmune diabetes. These recognise an epitope distinct from that recognised by anti-GAD antibodies found in patients with SPS, they are generally not seen in CSF and do not stain cerebellar tissue sections.

Antibodies against the aquaporin 4 (AQP4) channel are the commonest detected autoantibody in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Up to 80% of NMOSD patients have these antibodies. They are also found in up to 50% of patients with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) who do not otherwise meet the NMOSD criteria. We test for these antibodies in serum using a commercial cell-based assay. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5013123/

Antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) are seen in a large proportion of patients with NMOSD who do not have detectable anti-AQP4 antibodies. The clinical phenotype in anti-MOG antibody-associated disease is a wide spectrum that includes classic NMO, isolated optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, focal cortical encephalitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). We test for these antibodies in serum using a commercial cell-based assay.

Both these antibodies are tested for in parallel in our cell-based assay and so a request for either antibody will generate a report for both. We perform the test on serum. We have not validated the assay on CSF.

Lynne Sutherland – Senior Monitoring Officer

• Email address: lynne.sutherland@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
• Telephone: 01412010841
• Mobile telephone: 07973715911

Areas of responsibility

• Emergency Care North, South & Clyde
• Medical Services North & South
• Geriatric Medicine North & South
• Obstetrics & Gynaecology
• Sandyford
• South Stroke
• North & South Adult Cardiology

Andy Trench – Monitoring Officer

• Email address: andy.trench@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
• Telephone: 01412010842
• Mobile telephone: 07817885259

Areas of responsibility

• General Surgery North and South inc Surgical Specialities
• Anaesthetics North, South & Clyde
• Neonatology
• RHC & RAH Paediatric Medicine
• LTFT Applications Administrator
• WordPress Editor – HR Connect Web Content

Albert Chilambwe – Monitoring Officer

• Email Address: albert.chilambwe@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
• Telephone: 01412010838
• Mobile telephone: 07989310659

Areas of responsibility

• Clyde palliative medicine
• Diagnostics
• Regional inc INS
• Oral Health
• Paediatric Services for; Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, PICU,
• Haematology Oncology and Anaesthetics

Claire Mortimer – Monitoring Officer

• Email address: claire.mortimer4@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
• Telephone: 01412010835
• Mobile telephone: 07817885171

Areas of responsibility

• Clyde General Surgery
• Clyde General/Geriatric Medicine
• Clyde Orthopaedics & Urology
• Mental Health North & South
• Public Health
• Occupational Health
• General Practice FY2s