Haematology

Clinical Haematology At King's College Hospital

The Department of Haematological Medicine at King's College Hospital is the largest service in SE Thames, encompassing haematological malignancies, transplantation, red cell disorders, transfusion medicine and coagulation. It has an extensive referrals base encompassing not only London and SE England but nationwide and international. It is recognised as a centre of excellence for haematological malignancies, including myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia and lymphoma. It also runs one of the largest haemoglobinopathy services in the UK.

In addition, the Department of Haematological Medicine is:

• The largest allogeneic stem cell transplant unit in the UK and the sixth largest in Europe.

• Accredited as a British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) and Anthony Nolan Trust harvest centre.

• EBMT and BSBMT approved.

• MHRA & HTA licensed.

Clinical research in the Faculty is underpinned by high quality basic science on our Denmark Hill campus. We have established strong research links with basic scientists in the School of Life, Basic Medical and Health Sciences in a range of disciplines including, in particular, molecular biology.

First class diagnostic and research laboratories are a vital part of providing an exceptional clinical service. Our clinical diagnostic services are organised in a close network of laboratories supporting four main clinical areas:

1. Bone Marrow Transplantation Services

King's has one of the largest transplantation practices in Europe as shown in the most recent EBMT survey. The transplantation team is led by the Clinical (Dr. Antonio Pagliuca) and Laboratory (Dr. Aleksandar Mijovic) Programme Directors.

The service is:

• an accredited EBMT centre (BCSH level 4)

• a harvest centre for BBMR and the Anthony Nolan Trust and, more recently, an Anthony Nolan cord harvest centre

• licensed by the MHRA for granulocyte harvesting and stem cell laboratory accredited. Our stem cell facility was recently rebuilt at a cost of over £250,000 in readiness for inspection. We have also submitted an application for JACIE accreditation.

The service provides a local, national and international programme for all haematological diseases with strengths in both myeloid and lymphoid malignancies.

There is strong research collaboration with centres in the UK and abroad. First class, on site diagnostic and research facilities offer vital support to the exceptional clinical service.

2. Sickle Cell Disease And Other Haemoglobinopathies:

The Department looks after a large number of patients with sickle cell disease. Established strengths in this area include a Regional Neonatal Screening Programme and Pre-Natal diagnosis. Care pathways have been established for both paediatric and adults. These services are led by Dr. David Rees and Dr. Sue Height for children and Professor Swee Lay Thein and Dr. Moji Awogbade for adults.

3. Coagulation And Haemophilia Service:

The coagulation services, led by Dr. Roopen Arya, comprise a vital part of haematology at King's, providing both clinical and laboratory support to this busy teaching hospital.

The laboratory provides a wide range of coagulation tests including routine coagulation studies, factor assays, testing for lupus anticoagulant and inhibitors, platelet function tests and thrombophilia work-up. Recent additions to the research laboratory include thromboelastography and thrombin generation assays.

King's has been a Haemophilia Centre for over two decades. We offer:

• Genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis in conjunction with Professor Nicolaides at the Foetal Medicine Unit.

• A large Anticoagulant Clinic with over 1,300 'active' patients.

• A nurse-led outpatient DVT service and early-discharge PE service.

• Expertise in thromboprophylaxis for both medical and surgical patients

• The diagnosis and management of thrombophilia in close collaboration with several units especially obstetrics, neurology and hepatology.

• Facilities for full phenotypic and genetic thrombophilia screening including DNA analysis for Factor V Leiden, prothrombin and MTHFR polymorphisms.

4. General Haematology Service:

The Department accepts general haematology referrals from other consultants at King's and local General Practitioners. King's provides services to a local catchment area with an ethnically diverse population of 220,000, resulting in a large workload of routine clinical and laboratory haematology. The numerous specialist departments require major resources to service complex medical and haematological problems.

Clinical Diagnostic Services

Our laboratories are a particular strength of the department. The majority of work in these laboratories is referred not only from providers in our network but also from haematology departments across the UK. This is testament to the high quality, highly specialised diagnostic testing carried out in our Haematology laboratories.

In an average month, the laboratory undertakes over 8,000 coagulation screens, 2,000 sickle cell and thalassaemia screens, 1,300 cross matches, 100 cytogenetic studies, 100 immunophenotypes and 50 red cell enzyme studies.

The department participates in quality assurance schemes including the UK NEQAS schemes (http://kingspath.co.uk/quality/) for blood group serology, immunophenotyping, haemoglobinopathies, thrombophilia and blood coagulation, cytogenetics, haemophilia, Factor V Leiden/prothrombin genetic analyses.

Our specialist haematology diagnostic test services include:

• Cytogenetics and FISH

• Immunophenotyping

• Pre-natal diagnosis

• Sickle Cell and Haemoglobinopathy testing

• Red Cell Enzyme studies

• Minimal Residual Disease detection

for more information please download our Haematology guides:

Coagulation guide: Coagulation Guide

Cytogenetics guide: Cytogenetics Pdf

LMH (Laboratory for Molecular Haemato-Oncology) guide: Lmh

PND guide: Pnd Pdf