Cleft Lip and Palate (South West Service)

The South West Cleft Service is a multidisciplinary team that looks after children born with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate for most of the South West of England. The service transferred in August 2014 from Frenchay Hospital, Bristol to the University of Bristol Dental Hospital.

As well as providing all care for the children in the Bristol and Bath area, the team works with colleagues in hospitals from Gloucester down to Truro. All children in these areas born with a cleft will have the surgical repairs of the cleft carried out in Bristol.

Access / Referrals

Babies diagnosed with cleft lip and/or palate are normally referred to the team directly by the maternity unit. Suspected missed diagnoses of cleft palate in a baby should be referred by telephone using the number listed above. 

Clinics

Outpatient clinics in Bristol are held on the ground floor of Bristol Dental Hospital. Multidisciplinary clinics are also held with local colleagues in Exeter, Gloucester, Plymouth, Taunton, Torbay and Truro.

Patients born with a cleft are followed-up by the team routinely until the age of 15 years (palate only) or 20 years (lip +/- palate). Younger children, or adults referred for soft tissue concerns, will normally be seen first on an multidisciplinary team (MDT) clinic lead by Mr Mercer or Mr Cobb. Patients referred with jaw or dentition concerns will normally be seen on a clinic led by Mr Deacon, usually run jointly with the cleft surgeons.

A specialist speech investigation clinic uses lateral video fluoroscopy and (if indicated) nasendoscopy to determine if surgery is appropriate to treat velopharyngeal dysfunction. Non-cleft patients seen on this clinic are usually referred by their speech and language therapist.

Inpatients

Our children's surgery is performed at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. Adult in-patient services are provided at Bristol Royal Infirmary