Haematology

The Haematology Department provides diagnostic (often on a one-stop basis) and treatment facilities for a wide range of benign and malignant conditions including acute and chronic leukaemias, myeloma, lymphomas, anaemias, bleeding and clotting disorders.

The department runs anticoagulation clinics across the county in Ross on Wye, Ledbury, Leominster, Kingsland and Hereford using near patient testing and computerised decision support software (DAWN system). Clinics are staffed by nurses or Biomedical scientists with a specialist qualification in anticoagulant care.

Urgent Suspected Cancer Referral – appointment and diagnosis within 28 days

The Urgent Suspected Cancer(USC) Referral pathway is a referral pathway for patients with signs and symptoms of suspected cancer. The USC pathway aims to provide patients with a diagnosis or ruling out of cancer within 28 days of referral. Your GP should let you know if you have been referred to us under this pathway.  

Patients will be contacted by the hospital on receipt of their referral and invited for an appointment. If you have not received an appointment from Wye Valley NHS Trust within one week of the GP referral please contact your GP. 

National guidance no longer indicates for patients to have their first appointment within two weeks, so your first appointment may be more than two weeks after your referral from your GP.  However, as part of the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard patients should have their first appointment, relevant tests and diagnosis within 28 days from their GP referral.  This standard is in place to improve cancer care by reducing the time between referral and diagnosis.

Outline of the department

Hereford County Hospital runs daily clinics covering all aspects of Haematology. Daycase chemotherapy is provided on the Macmillan Renton Unit. 

Links with other departments

The department works closely with the oncology department at Cheltenham General Hospital where in-patient facilities are housed and where patients may be referred for in-patient chemotherapy or stem cell transplantation. Radiotherapy can now usually be given on site at Hereford County Hospital following an initial assessment and planning in Cheltenham. Close links have also been developed with the tertiary referral unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham where patients may be referred for allogeneic bone marrow transplant or second opinion. A joint multidisciplinary team meeting is held weekly with specialists from Gloucestershire to discuss all new malignant diagnoses.

Useful Links

Further information on haematological malignancies can be found at:

• Bloodwise
• MacMillan Cancer Support
• Myeloma UK
• Lymphoma Association
  

Additional Information

Day case chemotherapy services are provided by the excellent and friendly staff of the Macmillan Renton Unit.  Other support therapies and interventions are provided on the Fred Bulmer Medical Day case unit.

There is a 24 hour helpline number provided for all patients receiving chemotherapy. All such patients are issued with a “hand-held record” detailing their treatment, contact numbers and what to do in event of a problem. Patients with acute problems relating to treatment are offered immediate review Mon-Fri.

Hereford County Hospital also has close links with Macmillan Cancer Support, details of which are available on: http://www.macmillan.org.uk

Advice and Guidance on haematological matters should be sent through the NHS Advice and Guidance weblink (for professional use). These will be answered within a 48 hour period.

For more urgent advice, please contact the department on the numbers above.