Haematology

Haematology is the study of blood and its diseases.

Blood is a specialized tissue which circulates around the body. It contains red cells which carry oxygen, white cells which help to fight infections and platelets which help the blood to clot. These are all carried around in a liquid called plasma which is full of dissolved nutrients. Blood is manufactured in the bone marrow, the liquid centre of bones.

Haematologists are specialist doctors who have had years of extra training to diagnose and treat the more severe and uncommon diseases of the blood

 

Consultant Haematologists      

Dr Anna Morris                             Dr Ihssan Tahan

 

There is a Trust Grade doctor who assists in the outpatient clinics. Follow-up patients may also be seen by the Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist

 

Out-of-hours cover is provided by the Haematology service in Bristol.

 

As the clinics are dealing with disorders of the blood, all patients will require a blood test on each occasion they attend. For follow-up patients, these are taken on their arrival at the clinic and the results made available by the time the doctor is ready to see them. New patients generally see the Consultants first in case they decide to request extra tests.

 

New patient appointments are only given on referral from a GP or other doctor.

 

Diagnosis and Treatments

 

Various pieces of information may need to be gathered to make a diagnosis. The Consultant will take a history of any medical problems. Blood tests will be taken, some of which may need to be sent away to specialist laboratories in Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds or London. It may be necessary to look at the bone marrow, which involves having a needle inserted into a bone under a local anaesthetic, like at the dentist. This is called a bone marrow biopsy and may be performed by one of the doctors or the specialist nurse.  Sometimes a lymph node which has become enlarged may need to be removed and looked at down a microscope. Finally, special xrays and scans may be required.

 

Many treatments will be delivered as outpatients, either as tablets or requiring a visit to the Weston Oncology and Haematology Day Unit. Inpatient treatments need to be administered in Specialist Units and patients are referred to the Avon Haematology Unit at the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre. The team attend a Multidisciplinary Team Meeting there each Thursday along with other specialists from around the region including specialist xray doctors (radiologists) and histopathologists, who look at tissues down the microscope to make a diagnosis or assess responses to treatment.

 

 

 

Support Groups / Associations

 

Myeloma UK                           22 Logie Mill                        0800 980 3332

                                                Edinburgh                           myeloma.org.uk

                                                EH7 4HG

                                                

 

 

Lymphoma Association       P.O. Box 386                          0808 808 5555

                                                Aylesbury                              www.lymphomas.org.uk

                                                Bucks

                                                HP20 2

 

5 Carey’s Close                     01275 875551

                                                Clevedon

                                                BS21 6BA

 

Leukaemia Research Fund  43 Great Ormond St             0207 405 0101

                                                London                                   lrf.org.uk

                                                WC1N 3JJ

 

Leukaemia Care                    1 Birch Court                         0800 1696680

                                                Blackpole East                      leukaemiacare.org.uk

                                                Worcester                              care@leukaemiacare.org.uk

                                                WR3 8SG                               01905 755977

 

CLL Support Association                                                    cllsupport.org.uk

 

CML Support Association                                                   cmlsupport.org.uk

 

Bristol Adult Leukaemia Support (BALS)                           www.bristolals.org.uk                   bristoladultleukaemiasupport@hotmail.co.uk

07974811887

 

Bristol Myeloma Support    UHCT Community Centre    Margaret : 01454 418412

Group                                    Eden Grove Methodist Church       mgtm@sky.com 

                                               Horfield

                                               Bristol

 

Bristol Lymphoma               Will’s Hall                               Mary: 01275 875551

Support  Group                    Parry’s Lane                          Mary: 01934 838913  

                                                   Bristol                                    Chris: 01179657982

                                               BS9 1AE

 

Macmillan Cancer                 1st Floor                                 01934 881078 or 881079

Information Support             Jackson Barstow Wing

                                                Weston General Hospital

                                                Grange Road

                                                 Uphill

                                                Weston Super Mare

                                                BS23 4TQ

 

MDS UK                                 Bessemer Wing                     020 7733 7558

                                              Ground Floor Haematology      mds-uk@mds-foundation.org

                                              King’s College Hospital       www.mdspatientsupport.org.uk

                                              Denmark Hill  

                                              London SE5 9RS