Infusion unit

Basildon

Infusion suite has five treatment chairs, treatments provided may include:

• blood product infusions including platelets and red blood cells.
• bone strengthening infusions.
• immunoglobulin infusions.
• iron infusions.
• venesections.
• PiCC line / hickmann line care.
• bone marrow biopsies.
• Sickle cell.
• Phalassaemia.
• Hemochromatosis.
• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
• Polycythaemia.
• Haemophilia.
• Anaemia.
• Mylo fibrosis.
• Immune deficiencies.

On our chemotherapy suite we treat the following malignant diseases:

• Myeloma.
• Leukaemia.
• Lymphoma.
• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
• Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPF).
• Our chemotherapy unit specialises in haematology and do not provide chemotherapy for any other cancers. It has nine chairs and one emergency space.

The following treatments can be provided here:

• systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) for the treatments of haematological cancers only.
• clinical nurse specialist-led assessment clinic for all patient pre-SACT treatment looking at your holistic needs.

For longer treatments, you will be offered refreshments throughout the day but you are welcome to bring your own if they do not need any preparation. 

Broomfield

Our day stay unit has 18 chairs where you can have blood transfusions and intravenous medications if you have a long-term condition or are preparing for surgery.

The following treatments can be provided here:

• iron infusions.
• bone strengthening infusions.
• antibiotics.
• blood/platelets for patients with haematological conditions and chronically anaemic patients.
• blood tests – before some infusions and blood transfusions
• intravenous drugs.
• intravenous fluids.

We can also facilitate:

• PiCC line dressings.
• port flush.
• blood removal clinic – daily to review bloods for venesections if needed.

Southend

The infusion unit provides patients with treatments that can be facilitated as a day stay for both cancer and non-malignant blood disorders including:

Cancer blood disorders:

• myeloma.
• leukaemia.
• myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN).

Non-cancers blood disorders include:

• sickle cell.
• hemochromatosis.
• polycythaemia.
• haemophilia.
• antenatal haematology.
• acute anaemia.

Treatments provided may include:

• blood product infusions including platelets and red blood cells. 
• bone strengthening infusions. 
• immunoglobulin infusions.
• iron infusions.
• blood tests in readiness for blood product infusion.
• venesections.

For longer treatments, you will be offered refreshments throughout the day but you are welcome to bring in your own. 

You will see the following members of staff in our units:

• ward clerks and housekeepers.
• administrator co-ordinator.
• healthcare assistants.
• assistant practitioners.
• chemotherapy nurse trainees.
• chemotherapy nurse practitioners.
• practice education facilitators.
• unit manager.
• clinical nurse specialists.
• lead nurse/matron pathology and professions.
• associate director of nursing/pathology and professions.
• canine concern registered therapy dog.

We work closely with doctors, so you may see them in the unit for patient consultation if needed but there are no haematology consultants based in the unit.