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Haemoglobinopathy (e.g Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia)

Sickle Cell

Sickle cell disease is the name for a group of inherited conditions that affect the red blood cells. The most serious type is called sickle cell anaemia.

Sickle cell disease mainly affects people of African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Eastern Mediterranean and Asian origin. In the UK, it's particularly common in people with an African or Caribbean family background. People with sickle cell disease produce unusually shaped red blood cells that can cause problems because they don't live as long as healthy blood cells and they can become stuck in blood vessels.

Sickle cell disease is a serious and lifelong condition, although long-term treatment can help manage many of the problems associated with it.

You can find out more about sickle cell on the NHS choices website.

Thalassaemia

Thalassaemia is the name for a group of inherited conditions that affect a substance in the blood called haemoglobin.

People with the condition produce either no or too little haemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. This can make them very anaemic (tired, short of breath and pale).

You can find out more about Thalassaemia on the NHS choices website.

Services offering support in Ealing

The Ealing Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Service

The Ealing Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Service provide specialist community support for children & young people aged 0-19 years old that have inherited Sickle Cell Disease or Thalassaemia Major and are registered with an Ealing GP.

The service offers home and school visits to assess children and provide advice and education to parents and teachers regarding Sickle cell & Thalassaemia.
The service is responsible for developing and providing training to multi- disciplinary agencies and multi-disciplinary groups to improve knowledge about Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassaemia.
There is also a monthly outpatient’s clinic held on the 4th Thursday of each month.

Any child who has inherited Sickle Cell Disease or Thalassaemia major aged 0-19yrs and is registered with a GP in Ealing can access this service. Referrals are made to the service by your GP. 

The service is located on Level 10 South, Ealing Hospital and operates on Monday-Friday 9-5pm.


Tel:020 8967 5643/07932480078 

Email: LNWH-tr.paedspecialistcommunitynursingealing@nhs.net

Outside the above service hours or on bank holidays patients are advised to take their child/children to  the A&E department at Northwick Park Hospital, Watford road, Harrow HA1 3UJ.

Ealing Sickle Cell & Thalassemia Support Group

The Ealing Sickle Cell & Thalassemia support group run monthly meetings, offering support to individuals with Sickle Cell & Thalassemia.  The group also organise leisure outings and functions for families and facilitate fun activities for children affected with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia. 

Tel:  0793 223 6544

Find out more about the Ealing Sickle Cell & Thalassemia Support Group

Useful Links and Resources

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