About

Haemoglobinopathies are a group of blood disorders including sickle cell disease (SCD), thalassemia and some rare inherited anaemias.

We are the haemoglobinopathy coordinating centre (HCC) for the South West region for sickle cell disease as well as the specialist haemoglobinopathy team (SHT) for thalassaemia and rare inherited anaemia.

Bristol Children's Hospital Sickle Cell and Thalassemia service is responsible for the care of patients with inherited haemoglobin disorders locally and throughout the South West region in collaboration with several shared care centres. We offer routine transcranial doppler screening for children with sickle cell disease who are at increased risk of stroke.

Outpatient service

The outpatient department consists of a day unit call Ocean Unit which has 10 beds and 3 clinic rooms, where patients can receive day care, outpatient appointments, transfusions and manual and automated exchanges. There is access to the apheresis team, acute pain service and phlebotomy service (where blood tests are taken).

The haemoglobinopathy outpatient department runs a clinic every third and fifth Tuesday between 1.30pm and 5.00pm.

Local multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) are held every second and fourth Tuesday between 9.30am and 11.00am and regional MDT meetings are held monthly.