Improvements to sickle cell service
Inpatient and emergency care services for patients living with sickle cell in Brent, Ealing and Harrow will be provided by the renal and haematology triage unit (RHTU) at Hammersmith Hospital from 15 September.
The change will give patients access to the dedicated unit, which is managed by Imperial College Healthcare, and means they will call its specialist team for advice before having to come to hospital.
Doctors from LNWH will join the on-call rota at Hammersmith Hospital, forming part of a wider team that will work in partnership to offer patients joined-up care.
Patients will receive a detailed information leaflet explaining the new pathway, as well as a letter thanking the patient community for working with the Trust on its development.
The change is one of several being introduced based on feedback from service users about how the existing sickle cell service can be improved.
Patients will continue to receive outpatient care at Central Middlesex Hospital and will see an increase to both the availability and variety of treatments on offer. Improvements will include:
- Expanding outpatient services to include all northwest London
- Offering red cell exchange and day pain relief to more patients by increasing the number of spaces available for treatment
- Greater focus on individual need and annual health reviews
with teams gathering patients’ medical information in advance of appointments so consultations can be more personalised and effective. - Better access to psychosocial support along with a new social prescriber who can advise on issues including benefits and housing.
LNWH would like to thank Strength in Sickle, our local engagement group, who have helped drive through these changes. If you would like to learn more or to join the group, please email our patient experience team on lnwh-tr-patientexpereince@nhs.net