A London-based MP has issued a stark warning about the potential fatal consequences of ending an emergency care pilot for sickle cell patients. The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel provided an alternative to A&E admissions for sickle cell patients between September 2025 and January. However, the unit's closure has sparked concern among patients and campaigners, who argue that it could lead to fatal outcomes. The blood disorder requires lifelong management of extremely painful episodes called sickle cell crises, which often require hospital admission and powerful painkillers. Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has urged the government to develop a national strategy for specialised sickle cell care, citing the unit's closure as a 'typical' example of the wider trends in sickle cell care. The unit's closure has been met with criticism from patients and campaigners, who argue that it could lead to fatal outcomes. A petition against the pilot closure said the unit 'allowed patients experiencing acute pain crises – often dismissed or mismanaged in standard A&E settings – to receive treatment quickly and compassionately from clinicians with specialist expertise.' The MP has called for the scheme to be reinstated, for more emergency units to be rolled out across London, and for the government to commit to a national strategy. The Department of Health and Social Care has not responded to a request for comment.
