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Transition to adult sickle cell services

This page explains more about the transition service for young people with sickle cell disease.

What is transition?

The transition service helps you plan your care and supports you to move from the children’s to the adult sickle cell services.

When does transition start?

When you are around 12 years old, we will introduce you and your family to the idea of the transition process. We will give you a questionnaire to complete, which covers subjects like:

  • your understanding of your condition
  • how good you are at remembering your hospital appointments and taking medicines
  • how you feel about attending adult hospital when the time comes.

At 14-15 years, we will try to increase your understanding of your condition and the whole transition process by having more in-depth discussions and workshops. 

At 16-17 years, you should be starting to feel ready to move to our adult service.

The transition process is a gradual one. The children's team work closely with the adult one, and will continue to support you until you feel settled in to adult services.

The transition clinic

When you are around 16-17 years old, you'll be invited to visit the transition clinic at Evelina London. This gives you and your family the opportunity to meet the adult sickle cell team. 

Sometime before your first appointment with the adult team you will also be invited to a transition day. Here you'll have the chance to meet other young people in transition and take a guided tour of the adult services at Guy's Hospital.

Further information

For more information about transition, please download our leaflet The transition process for people with sickle cell disease (PDF 97Kb).

For more information about adult sickle cell services, see the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust website.

Transition contacts

Sharon Ndoro
lead clinical nurse specialist nurse  
Tel: 07918 338 730 
sharon.ndoro@gstt.nhs.uk

Olushola (Shola) Taiwo (nee Shoyemi)
lead nurse for adult and adolescent transition
Tel 020 7188 7188 (ext 81424) 

Email: olushola.shoyemi@gstt.nhs.uk

Welfare support

Email the specialist nurses on HaemoglobinopathyCNS@gstt.nhs.uk  or community team Call 020 3049 5993 for support and information

For questions about transition and community services, call the community transition nurse.

Tel: 020 3049 6068