Thalassaemia National Education Programme

Welcome to the National Thalassaemia e-Learning Programme, a first-of-its-kind educational resource developed by The Red Cell Network of UCLH. This programme is designed to equip all healthcare professionals, particularly haematology nurses, with the essential skills and knowledge needed to provide high-quality, patient-centred care for those living with thalassaemia.

Clinical Excellence and Patient Voice
The course was developed under the clinical leadership of Dr James Leveson (Haematology Senior Clinical Fellow for Education for The Red Cell Network) and Bernadette Hylton (Education Lead and Matron for The Red Cell Network).

At the heart of this training is the Patient Voice. We are privileged to feature expert patients Amani Mehboob, Sagar Barua, and Lena Batra, who share their candid experiences of living with thalassaemia through embedded videos. Their insights ensure that the learning remains focused on holistic, person-centred care rather than just clinical theory.

Course Structure
The programme offers 3–4 CPD hours and covers three key areas:

• Module 1: Clinical Aspects of Thalassaemia – Exploring the genetic basis, pathophysiology, and management of the condition.
• Module 2: Psychological Wellbeing – Understanding the emotional impact of thalassaemia, coping strategies, and effective communication.
• Module 3: Managing Complications and Looking Ahead – Focussing on long-term prevention, management of iron overload, and emerging treatment advances.

 Why This Matters
Thalassaemia patients are predominantly from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds, a group that has historically faced healthcare inequalities. By improving staff knowledge and clinical standards, this resource directly aims to reduce these inequities and improve health outcomes for all patients.