In the buildup to the Haematology Patient and Carers’ Congress 2024, we sat down with Dr Sanne Lugthart, consultant haematologist at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

How did you first get involved with the Sickle Cell community?

I’ve been involved for about five years – since I moved to England and took up my current post. I’m one of the lead clinicians working at the University Hospitals Bristol that’s responsible for patients with Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassaemia. And within that role, we also cover care for Sickle Cell patients across Southwest England.

Why should Sickle Cell patients come to the HPCC?

I think it’s a really great opportunity for them to meet other patients – and it doesn’t necessarily need to be Sickle Cell patients, but other patients and their carers in general. The presentations and breakout sessions that are being held throughout will give them a lot more knowledge to empower them to ask questions to their own clinical team and to help them understand what other options they might have in terms of treatments. Information on clinical trials, but also talks about mental health. There’s something on offer for everyone there over the two days, and so I think any patient would really benefit from it.

What do you see the role of technology being in care over the coming years?

It will have a big role. I think virtual hospitals, monitoring patients using wearables, but also using Patient Reported Outcomes via platforms is the way forward because the majority of our patients don’t want to be in the hospital, they obviously would rather stay at home, but as clinicians and the wider medical team we want to know how they’re doing. And I think these innovations make it possible for us to monitor patients from a distance and therefore intervene if needed. I think it will provide us with more information and knowledge of how to better care for our patients.

Finally, what are you most looking forward to at the HPCC?

I’m looking forward to learning something myself as well! I think it’s very good that mental health, social care and wellbeing is being discussed. It’s an opportunity for us to also talk to other presenters there as well as patients and their carers. So I’m really looking forward to all the specialist talks that are being presented and I’m definitely attending some of those myself.

To register and recieve a free ticket for the HPCC, click here