Predominantly affecting people with African or Caribbean heritage, sickle cell disease is characterised by unusually shaped red blood cells that are produced which can cause serious health issues across the body, sending organs into ‘crisis’ and causing extreme levels of pain which may need hospitalisation.
Sickle cell inequalities is a major priority for our work in empowering vulnerable people. The Observatory appointed a medical advisor Dr Carl Reynolds (Consultant Respiratory and General Internal Medicine Physician) from December 2021 who will review evidence that contrasts sickle cell care with other rare genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and examine how robust sickle cell care patient pathways can be provided by the NHS. This contribution will support research, insights and practical interventions to level-up geographical variation in sickle cell care across the country.
Within this workstream we have commissioned:
John James OBE, Chief Executive, Sickle Cell SocietyThe Sickle Cell Society welcomes the news that the NHS Race and Health Observatory have appointed a medical advisor, Dr Carl Reynolds, to explore sickle cell inequalities in the NHS, coinciding with the publication and recommendations from our recent inquiry report, No One’s Listening.
We look forward to working with Dr Carl Reynolds, and hope that this appointment will be a positive step towards delivering our recommendations for a study into sickle cell care in relation to race and ethnicity, examining the impact of racist attitudes and the extent of inequalities.