Services and treatments
Outpatient service
The outpatient department is located at the Bristol Haematology
and Oncology Centre (BHOC) and consists of an acute unit which
includes: an apheresis unit, acute medical service for sickle cell
patients in crisis, outpatient clinics, transfusion service and
phlebotomy (where blood tests are taken).
The haemoglobinopathy outpatient department runs a clinic every
Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm.
Outpatient appointments are held either face to face, via
telephone or video consultation.
Local multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) are held every
Wednesday from 1pm to 2pm.
Regional multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) are held monthly
on the third Wednesday of each month.
Cancelling appointments
If you cannot make an appointment, please telephone the Clinical
Nurse Specialists or administration team on 0117 342 2774 or text
07825 948 038 as soon as possible to arrange another appointment
that is convenient. Please give at least 24 hours notice so your
appointment slot can be given to another patient.
Treatments
Red Cell Exchange
If you are on regular red cell exchanges (RCE) you will receive
appointments for your cross-match and RCE when you attend for your
RCE.
RCE will take place on our Apheresis Unit on level 7 at BHOC.
The cross match is usually taken in the phlebotomy unit or by the
PICC team.
You will receive a text message with reminders of your
appointments. Patients who need port access will be booked in the
injection clinic on D501 or D701. Ultrasound bloods will be booked
with the PICC team on D501. A member of the CNS or administration
team will book your appointment and let you know of the date and
time of the appointment.
The PICC team is located on level 5 in BHOC. A member of the
administration or CNS team will inform you of the location for your
appointment via text message.
You will be informed about any appointments relating to RCE,
port or line flushes via text message.
Transfusion
If you receive regular transfusions, you will be informed of
these via post in which you will receive a serial booking of time
and dates of your cross-matches and transfusions.
Transfusions will take place on level 5 or 7 in BHOC.
Patient Support Group
Our Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Patient
Support Worker run a monthly patient support group. Currently, this
is taking place virtually. All haemoglobinopathy patients are
invited to join as often as they like and feel comfortable. Topics
for discussions are mainly decided by our patients but from time to
time our clinical team might use this forum to update patients on
any new developments i.e. new medication or trials. For more
details about the group and how to join please contact the team
either by telephone or email - details can be found in the 'meet
the team' section.
Other support
Bristol Oscar
256 Stapleton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0NP
Telephone: 0117 951 2200
Email: info@oscarbristol.org.uk
www.oscarbristol.org.uk
Sickle Cell Society
54 Station Road, London NW10 4UA
Telephone: 020 8961 7795
Email: info@sicklecellsociety.org
www.sicklecellsociety.org
UK Thalassaemia Society
19 The Broadway, Southgate Circus, London, N14 6PH
Telephone: 020 8882 0011
Email: office@ukts.org
www.ukts.org
