Range of Services

‘One stop’ baby hip clinic offering clinical assessment, ultrasound examination, diagnosis and treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Treatment in this clinic is non-surgical and will involve application of a Pavlik harness or hip abduction brace. Usually 6-12 weeks of treatment will be required.

This clinic is suitable for all babies referred to RNOH under the age of 6 months with hip concerns.

The clinic runs weekly on a Monday morning in the Children’s and Young Person’s outpatient department.

Photo of baby being scanned to be placed here

We can accept referrals from maternity units in NHS hospitals directly to our email address rnoh.babyhip@nhs.net or via the Pathpoint system.  A standardised referral form can be used but is not required. (link to form)

We can accept referrals from GP practices via the ERS system. Please select Mr Neil Segaren, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and infant hip specialist.

There is no waiting list for the baby hip clinic service and all referrals are triaged urgently to be seen within 2 weeks of referral or when clinically indicated.

rnoh.babyhip@nhs.net for general enquiries

Christine Douglas, Consultant Paediatric Physiotherapist and Clinical Lead for the Baby Hip Clinic  christinedouglas1@nhs.net

Penina Edel, Clinical Nurse Specialist penina.edel@nhs.net

Tel: 020 8909 5409

The Baby Hip Clinic is run by a team of specialist physiotherapists, nurses and orthopaedic surgeons. The clinical lead for the clinic is Christine Douglas, Consultant Paediatric Physiotherapist, working with highly specialist clinical nurse specialists (Penina Edel and Heather Gledstone) and paediatric physiotherapists (Sheila Pillai). The baby hip clinic provides non-surgical management of infant developmental dysplasia of the hip, using Pavlik harness or hip abduction bracing over 6-12 week treatment periods. Families will attend weekly or two weekly through their treatment period and there is an opportunity for virtual follow-up when indicated. We have support and input from our Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Neil Segaren and also our Radiology department.  

Christine Douglas MSc BSc (MCSP) Consultant Paediatric Physiotherapist- photo of Christine to be placed here

I have worked with babies presenting with DDH since 2005, offering clinical assessment, ultrasound scanning and interpretation for diagnosis of hip problems. As a team we implement non-surgical treatment for this condition with high rates of success (over 95%). We are compliant with the current UK consensus for management of DDH in babies in the first 3 months ( DDH Consensus Steering Group (bscos.org.uk)) and with the current NIPE guidelines (Newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) screening programme handbook - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  ). We regularly audit our scans for quality improvement.