New unit to treat sickle cell disease opens in Manchester

Dr Joseph Sharif works as a consultant haematologist on the new unit

The country's first unit for patients with sickle cell disease has opened in a bid to speed up access to treatment.

The unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary will treat patients from Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.

Dr Joseph Sharif, who works on the unit, said patients sometimes experienced difficulties accessing treatment in an emergency.

He said he wanted to help change that as it could be "excruciatingly painful and potentially fatal if not treated".

People with sickle cell disease produce unusually shaped red blood cells that can cause problems because they do not live as long as healthy blood cells.

It can block blood vessels, causing pain and life-threatening infections.

The condition is particularly common in people with an African or Caribbean family background.

Patients in crisis can suffer severe pain and need immediate treatment to prevent complications but long waits in accident and emergency (A&E) departments can delay treatment.

Kayna Baugh has welcomed the opening of the new unit

Kayna Baugh, 25, believes being treated quickly by experts would be "life changing" for patients like her.

"I can literally just phone, come here, get stronger medicine or a place to rest and then probably be on my way because at the end of the day I do have a life to live," she said.

She added that being treated by medical staff who know her and understand her condition would be key to helping her live with sickle cell disease.

The new unit aims to provide a new rapid response service for people experiencing a sickle cell crisis.

If patients in Lancashire and Cumbria cannot travel to Manchester, an on-call consultant will liaise with medical teams at the patient's local hospital to provide advice on care and treatment to manage their crisis.

Consultant haematologist Dr Sharif said patients could "be seen quickly and receive pain relief and other treatment", adding patients experiencing a crisis could call the 24/7 phone line and speak to one of the team.

He said they could come in to be triaged and can either stay on the unit or be admitted to an adjacent ward.