Sickle cell service at Basildon Hospital helping patients fight blood disorder
Hospital service marks six months of red cell exchange transfusions this World Sickle Cell Day
Basildon Hospital is celebrating six months of its red cell exchange transfusion service, which launched in January, for World Sickle Cell Day on 19th June.
The service has performed 15 exchange transfusions, including four emergency cases, making the replacement of sickle cell blood with healthy blood faster than the previous manual method.
Sickle cell disease, primarily affecting people of Black heritage, can lead to severe complications such as organ damage and strokes if not properly managed.
One of the beneficiaries, Simi Omolabi, 20, from Basildon, emphasised the impact the service has had:
"My brother has sickle cell disease as well, and he has also used the machine. It is making such a difference to us. Up until this point I have had top ups of blood but having an exchange with new blood means I feel better for longer.”
The machine, operating on a six-week cycle, helps prevent complications by replacing the patient’s abnormally shaped red blood cells with healthy donor blood.
Rebecca Oloruntobi, Clinical Nurse Specialist, highlighted the benefits:
"For patients receiving regular exchange transfusions, the machine has significantly reduced both the number and severity of sickle cell crises. In emergency cases, it has helped speed up recovery and cut the length of time people need to stay in hospital."
The hospital marked the occasion with an information stall and engaged young patients in the Sickle Cell Society’s Young Voices Rising campaign, encouraging them to share experiences through poetry and stories.
Nikki Tuffin, Lead Roald Dahl Non-Malignant Clinical Nurse Specialist, expressed pride in the service's advancements:
"On World Sickle Cell Day, we’re proud to celebrate this significant step forward in improving care for children and young people through the introduction of our new Automated Red Cell Exchange Transfusion machine. This investment reflects our commitment to delivering timely, innovative and equitable care that improves outcomes and quality of life. Equally important is ensuring that the voice of young people remains at the heart of service development."
The service is a joint effort by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s paediatrics and adults sickle cell service, funded by the NHS England-run MedTech Funding Mandate.