Transition will start when you are a patient with the Children's Haematology Centre. You might come to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children for all your appointments or if you don't live near Bristol you will see your local doctors and only come to Bristol once a year.

When you move to adult services your care may continue to be managed in Bristol in the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre or you may be seen in a local hospital. Wherever your treatment is managed the Bristol Haematology Centre can support you. They provide 24-hour open access treatment and advice for people with Sickle Cell. Bristol provides a Haemoglobinopathy Co-ordinating Centre and a Specialist Haemoglobinopathy Team to oversee your care.

The Sickle Cell team also work with other specialities, including orthopaedics, gynaecology (including pregnancy advice and counselling) and ophthalmology.

What should I do if I have a crisis?
Someone having a crisis may have severe pain in any part of their body including their hands, feet, ribs, spine, breastbone, tummy, legs and arms. Sometimes this pain can be caused by stress, dehydration or exposure to cold temperatures.

It can be important to know what to do if you have a crisis and need treatment quickly. If you live near to Bristol and have a crisis and need to come to the centre for treatment, please telephone beforehand to let staff know you are coming. You can telephone the centre for advice. If you are having a crisis you should go to the Accident and Emergency Department at the Childrens Hospital or the Emergency Department at the Bristol Royal Infirmary depending on which team you are looked after by. It is important you advise staff of your diagnosis.

If you are admitted to an adult hospital it would be unusual for your parents to stay with you overnight, however if you are worried about this then don't hesitate to talk to your Sickle Cell team. They are there to help you and would want to hear your concerns. If you are admitted to another hospital either in an emergency or for planned treatment, make sure you make them aware of your diagnosis.