This section includes details on routine and emergency referrals for adult patients with haemoglobinopathies or rare inherited anaemias. If you cannot find a referral form you are looking for please see our useful documents section
Emergency referrals
Contact Bristol haematology registrar or consultant on call via switchboard 0117 923 0000.
Urgent/emergency advice is available 24/7.
If specialist advice required – local haematology consultant only to call BHOC – see ‘Referrals from within UHBW’
Routine referrals
This pathway can be used to refer patients with thalassaemia, sickle cell disorders and transfusion dependent rare inherited anaemias. Other cases may be accepted for referral, please discuss details.
Send referral letter or email to haemoglobinopathybristol@uhbw.nhs.uk or call 0117 342 2774 to discuss referral to outpatient services.
Contact your local haemoglobinopathy lead. Details can be found on ‘About Us’ page: Our hospitals and teams – Adults – southwesthcc.nhs.uk
If a patient is being referred by the local haemoglobinopathy team for annual review, please complete the annual review referral form.
Transplant referrals
Patients can be referred for transplant or gene therapy from anywhere in the South West depending on their eligibility. The below pathway details the steps required to make this referral.
A patient may be identified as transplant eligible as part of their annual review. Alternatively, a patient may approach their clinical team as being interested in transplant and their eligibility can be assessed following this.
For more information on transplant eligibility criteria, please access the Sickle Cell Disease in Adults clinical guideline.
HLA typing can be performed for the patient through the haemoglobinopathy clinic during their annual review.
The request form for HLA typing (patient and donors) can be found here.
HLA typing to look for a potential donor can be performed on relatives including siblings, parents and children. Relative typing should only be performed if the patient is transplant eligible.
The patient should contact their relatives to find out whether they would be happy for HLA typing to be performed. If the relative is happy for this to go ahead, the patient should supply the haemoglobinopathy team with the following information:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- NHS number (if known)
A completed referral form should be sent by the haemoglobinopathy team to the BMT team with the details of the patient and the relatives. The patient will be added to the BMT potential future transplant list. The relatives will be contacted to arrange sample collection.
Once results are compiled by the NHSBT H&I Team, the results will be returned to both the BMT and haemoglobinopathy teams. The BMT team will contact the relatives to inform them of their status.
The haemoglobinopathy team should not inform the patient of the relative’s results until the relative has given consent for this information to be shared.
After the BMT team have discussed with the patient and relative, they will communicate with the haemoglobinopathy team to handover this information.
Once the haemoglobinopathy team decide that it is appropriate for the patient to be seen in BMT clinic, this should be communicated with the BMT team and they will book the patient into clinic to be seen.
The BMT team will request up-to-date work-up investigations including lung function test and echocardiogram if required.
The case should be discussed in the HCC MDT to approve the indication and appropriateness for transplant. This can happen before or after the clinic appointment with the BMT team.
Please complete our referral form.
The case should be discussed in the NHP MDT for national approval before proceeding to transplant. Cases are usually presented by haemoglobinopathy consultants within the UHBW Specialist Haemoglobinopathy Team (SHT) or a nominated deputy.
Please complete the referral form to refer the patient.