Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Service

This might be using your own bone marrow cells (an 'autologous' transplant) or cells donated by someone else (an 'allogeneic' transplant).

The service is based at the Cancer and Haematology Centre at the Churchill Hospital.

This page is about the care of adults. For information about the care of children having a bone marrow transplant please visit:

Children's Haematology and Oncology

Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist Nurses

Everyone referred to Oxford BMT Service will have access to a Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist Nurse.

BMT Specialist Nurses offer:

• a contact point if you are undergoing a bone marrow transplant
  
• specialist knowledge, advice and support throughout the transplant journey
  
• help with physical symptoms, such as pain or nausea
  
• advice on recovery at home
  
• someone to talk to about worries or problems
  
• advice on relationship, fertility or sexual problems
  
• specialist knowledge and support for related donors (if applicable)
  
• information about additional treatments.
  

Bone Marrow Transplant Advanced Nurse Practitioner:

• offers the same support and advice as the BMT Specialist Nurses
• has additional skills in the assessment of BMT patients and can prescribe medications.

Planning your care

Before your transplant, the BMT Specialist Nurse will arrange for all the necessary pre-transplant tests to be done. We will spend time with you to discuss your transplant schedule in detail and answer any questions or concerns you might have.

If you are having autologous transplantation, a BMT Specialist Nurse will work closely with you, your family and other members of the transplant team to coordinate the entire transplant journey. This will include the collection of your stem cells.

If you are having allogeneic transplantation, a team of Pre-BMT Specialist Nurses will co-ordinate care up until the point of transplant.

If your transplant will use cells from a family member, the BMT Specialist Nurse will coordinate and manage the care of your donor. If your donor is not related, they will liaise closely the donor registry.

During your ward admission and throughout your recovery, the post-BMT Specialist Nurses and BMT Advanced Nurse Practitioner will provide support for you and your family.

When you are ready to go home from hospital, the BMT Specialist Nurses / Advanced Nurse Practitioner will spend time with you and your family to ensure you are prepared for the next phase of your recovery.

They will organise discharge and follow-up care; if required, they liaise closely with district hospitals, community carers and GPs to avoid unnecessary visits or admission to hospital.

Treatment locations

Ambulatory Care Unit

Many people will begin their bone marrow transplant treatment in the Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU), a four bed unit on Level 1 of the Cancer and Haematology Centre.

ACU allows you to have some of your chemotherapy without being admitted to hospital.

You stay in your own home, or our hospital-based flat, and travel to ACU each day for treatment and assessment.

ACU treatment is not suitable for everyone. Your team will advise you if your treatment might be suitable for ACU.

Leaflet

Adult Cancer Ambulatory Care Unit (pdf)

Video

Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) - Introduction - YouTube

Haematology Ward

We will admit you to the Haematology Ward for part or all of your treatment. The Haematology Ward is on Level 1 of Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre.

We will spend time with you talking about this part of your care and you will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

Leaflet

The Haematology Ward (pdf)

Day Treatment Unit

You may need to attend the Day Treatment Unit (DTU) before your transplant or after leaving hospital. DTU is on Level 0 of the Cancer and Haematology Centre, next to the Outpatient Department. We also provide day treatments in the Brodey Centre at the Horton General Hospital.

Leaflet

Day Treatment Unit (DTU) (pdf)

Video

Having chemotherapy and other treatments in the Day Treatment Unit - YouTube

Out of hours support

People having bone marrow transplant treatment have access to our Triage Assessment Team. Triage supports people who are having treatment in ACU and those who have recently left hospital.

It provides out of hours advice for people who are worried about treatment side effects or who feel unwell.

Clinics

Face to face outpatient appointments are held in the Outpatient Department in the Cancer and Haematology Centre at the Churchill Hospital.

The BMT Service has clinics at the following times.

Allogeneic Transplant Clinics

• Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm
  
• Friday 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Autologous Transplant Clinics

This will depend on your diagnosis.

Myeloma Clinics

• Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm
• Wednesday 1.00pm - 4.00pm
• Friday 1.00pm - 4.00pm
  

Lymphoma Clinics

• Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm
• Thursday 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Research

We may ask our patients if they would like to take part in a clinical trial.

For more information please visit:

Research

Our team

Consultants

The service is led by an experienced team of Consultant Haematologists.

• Dr Andy Peniket, Programme Director
  
• Dr Graham Collins
  
• Dr Rob Danby
  
• Dr Toby Eyre
  
• Dr Jaimal Kothari
  
• Dr Karthik Ramasamy
  
• Prof Paresh Vyas
  
• Prof Ronjon Chakraverty

Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist Nurses

• Mandy Ellis
  
• Kirsten Rendall
  
• Olivia Hilsdon
  
• Alexandra Scott
  
• Sue Moore
  
• Elizabeth Boggust
  
• Lorraine Vitug
  
• Karen Stewart
  
• Praniella Danni
  
• Sally Springett (BMT IMPACT Trials Nurse)
  

Bone Marrow Transplant Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Francesca Toselli

BMT Secretary

Emma Thomson: 01865 235185

Email: emma.thomson@ouh.nhs.uk

Links

Bone marrow transplant - NHS website

For patients and families - Anthony Nolan