We're pleased to have heard our patients' calls to bring the George Marsh Centre back into use, and to be relaunching this much-loved facility as a space dedicated to wellbeing for patients with sickle cell disorder, thalassaemia, and other inherited red cell disorders.
We're running free sessions for patients with sickle cell and thalassaemia.
Come along and join coaches from local Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur, for sessions on yoga, Pilates, 'Chairobics', resistance classes, injury prevention, and coordination.
We are also hosting advisors from across our local community, bringing help and support to your local centre for patients with sickle cell and thalassaemia:
Enfield Carers is a voluntary sector organisation providing help, support and advocacy for people who look after others.
Join Enfield Carers at the George Marsh Centre 11am - 2pm Tuesday 17 Jan, then on the 3rd Thursday every month (16 Feb; 16 Mar)
Get help and advice on physical health and nutrition.
Join our health coach at the George Marsh Centre 10am - 12pm on Tuesday 24 Jan, Tuesday 21 Feb, Tuesday 21 March
As a facility for wellbeing for patients with sickle cell disorder, thalassaemia, and other inherited red cell disorders, the George Marsh Centre is a space where patients and their families can take part in activities, access help and advice, and meet other families and friends for mutual support.
The activity calendar for George Marsh Centre is under constant review, and you can help shape it. Our Patient Panel advises the North Mid haematology team on what services and activities would be most benefit.
The George Marsh Centre patient panel is a group of patients and local people who volunteer their time and skills and work in partnership with the services and the Trust. The group is dedicated to the care of people using the services.
The focus of the panel will be to ensure that patients and the public have a real say in how services aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people living with red cell conditions, including sickle cell disorder and thalassemia, are planned, developed, maintained, and sustained.
The George Marsh Centre is at the north-east corner of St Ann's Hospital, where St Ann's Road meets Hermitage Road.
67 runs approximately every 15 minutes during daytime hours
Many years ago, the Haringey Sickle Cell support group was located in a small office in Wood Green.
One day, haematology consultant at North Mid, Dr George Marsh saw the support group stranded outside in the rain as they had been locked out of the building. Dr Marsh felt a rush of sympathy and acknowledged things needed to change. He raised the necessary funds and began to plan a health and community centre for the many patients with sickle cell and thalassaemia under his care. Sadly, Dr Marsh passed away before the centre was built and opened in 1989. It is called the George Marsh Centre in his memory.
The primary aim was to provide the local population who lived with sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia a centre fit for purpose. Within Enfield and other surrounding boroughs, there were a high number of patients with haemoglobin disorder and a limited amount of information available. As a result of this, Dr Marsh developed an interest in this area of care and group of patients and therefore became a leading figure within this field.
The centre is still operational today and continues to serve the community as The George Marsh Centre, at St Ann’s Hospital, in Haringey. Our NHS staff continue to serve the community with Blood Screening, Education and Advice, Seminars & Workshops as well as providing support and counselling for patients and their relatives. The centre also provides parent forums, organises children’s parties and continues to house the still very popular patient run voluntary Sickle Cell Support Group, now known as the Sickle Cell Care, Advocacy, Unity, Support with Empathy Group, or 'SC Cause'.
Over the past 5-10 years, there has been a significant development in red cell disorder research. Various new drugs are undergoing investigation and are currently in phase three of trials. One of the biggest developments to date is the automated red cell exchange method which aims to take away abnormal sickle cells from patients and replaces it with healthy blood from donors. The introduction of this method has been an enormous boost in quality, care and treatment those who live with the condition.
London has the highest number of people living with sickle cell disorder. With over 500 patients being cared for at North Mid, the hospital is a red cell specialist centre and looks after one of the largest cohorts of thalassemia patients.
With patients needing specialist care, they often spend a lot of time in hospital, particularly when they undergo transfusions. Therefore, North Mid regularly engages with its’ service users which includes inpatients and outpatients as well as various community groups to ensure their needs are taken on board.
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