In this section
Welcome to our New to Haemoglobinopathy page. This page provides non clinical and clinical educational resources to educate and raise awareness about haemoglobinopathies AKA Sickle Cell, Thalassaemia, and Rare Inherited Anaemias (RIA).
Raising Awareness Package – Non Clinical Workforce
It has been highlighted that we need to raise awareness of sickle cell amongst our non-clinical patient facing workforce. As a result of complaints regarding patient experience and outcomes across urgent care services we have created an awareness package for administration staff who are often the first point of contact for many of our patients and their support network.
The aim of this presentation is to increase awareness and empower staff to have the knowledge to understand, empathise and act.
The presentation provides information explaining what sickle cell is, common symptoms of crises and complications, when to act, how they can help and further reading.
Educational Videos
Disclaimer: Note that the following educational videos are from external content creators
These videos will help you learn more about haemoglobinopathies. Click on the links below or scroll down to a video.
1. Sickle cell – what it is and associated stigma
2. Sickle cell – patient perspectives
3. What is Thalassaemia?
4. RIA – Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia
5. RIA – Congenital Sideroblastic Anaemia
6. Red Blood Cell Life Cycle
7. Haemochromatosis (Iron Overload)
8. Aplastic Anaemia
Sickle Cell
Sickle cell: I didn’t know I had the disease
A BBC News feature on what sickle cell is, the pain suffered, treatment and the stigma.
Sickle cell: Why is it hard to talk about our pain?
This second video, from BBC Stories, speaks to patients about why it is difficult to talk about their pain and also raises the importance of blood donation.
Thalassaemia
What is Thalassaemia?
A video giving an overview of thalassaemia – the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and management of this disorder.
Rare Inherited Anaemias
Unfortunately, just as these anaemias are rare, so are videos that discuss them. However, we have found these RIA videos, aimed at medical students, that look at these conditions from a more theoretical perspective.
Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia (DBA)
This video looks at DBA – a rare blood condition where the bone marrow fails to produce enough red blood cells.
Congenital Sideroblastic Anaemia (CSA)
This video looks at CSA – an uncommon, diverse class of inherited hematopoietic disorders characterized by pathological deposition of iron in the mitochondria of erythroid precursors.
Additional Related Information
Haematology – Red Blood Cell Life Cycle
An animated explanation of the life cycle of an erythrocyte (red blood cell).
Haemochromatosis (Iron Overload)
An animated explanation of iron overload – something that some of our haemoglobinopathy patients suffer from.
Aplastic Anaemia
This video discuses aplastic anaemia – when the bone marrow doesn’t make enough red and white blood cells, and platelets.
