Cleft Lip and Palate

Patients with a cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate in Scotland follow a nationally agreed pathway of care.

Clinicians from different specialties work together to provide treatment, and patients will likely see clinicians from some or all of the specialties below during their care pathway:

Speech and Language Therapists
Clinical Psychologists
Cleft Surgeons
Paediatric Dentists
Orthodontists
Audiologists
Clinical Nurse Specialists

Cleft surgery in Scotland is usually carried out in Glasgow. In addition, NHS Forth Valley has its own multi‑disciplinary cleft team where patients can see other members of the cleft team locally. Clinics are usually held in Forth Valley Royal Hospital several times a year.

These clinics allow patients to see clinicians from a number of different specialties on the same day, reducing the number of separate appointments. Patients are invited to attend these clinics at key points along their care pathway.

What is a Cleft Multidisciplinary (MD) Clinic?

Care for children with a cleft often involves input from several specialities and is known as multidisciplinary (MD) care.
A multidisciplinary clinic is an appointment where you will see more than one speciality during the same visit.

Routine cleft MD clinics in Forth Valley usually take place at 5, 7, 10 and 15 years of age, though this may vary as the child’s stage of development is more important than their exact age.

What Happens on the Day?

Appointments can take a couple of hours as you will see a number of different clinicians.
You will move between rooms within the Orthodontic Department in Outpatients and will be guided through the process.

You may experience short waiting periods between specialties, so bringing a snack, book, or device can be helpful.

Specialities you may see include:

Orthodontics
Paediatric Dentistry
Speech and Language Therapy
Clinical Psychology

Depending on the type of cleft or the child’s age, you may not need to see every speciality. You may also be asked to have photographs taken or be sent for an X‑ray.

Support from a parent or carer is encouraged, though due to clinic busyness it is helpful to keep numbers to a minimum where possible.

Who Will I See at the Forth Valley Cleft Clinic?

Members of the local team you may meet include:

Louise Greene – Consultant Orthodontist, Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Craig Dunbar – Consultant Orthodontist, Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Lisa Crampin – Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Linsay Campbell – Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Karen Britton – Senior Dental Officer, Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Jennifer Szuster – Senior Dental Officer, Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Toby Gillgrass – Consultant Cleft Orthodontist
Dr Rebecca Crawford – Consultant Clinical Psychologist

What Happens After the Clinic?

After your appointment, the information gathered is shared with other members of the cleft team.
Clinicians may liaise with local or Glasgow-based teams.
You may be referred for follow-up with another speciality or reviewed again at a future MD clinic.