Nurse-led transition clinic for people who have had treatment for cancer or a blood condition as a child or young adult

Having completed your treatment for cancer or a blood condition, you are already used to attending appointments in a follow-up clinic. As you enter into adulthood, you will need to move on to an adult long-term follow-up clinic. This time of change is often called ‘transition’.

Our transition clinic will guide you through the move from children’s and adolescent care

to adult care. During your first appointment with us you will meet one of the clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) for late effects of cancer. The CNS will tell you about long-term follow-up in the adult services and help you to prepare for it. They will also talk to you about plans for your future care.

It’s important to continue long-term follow-up because there is a small risk that some of the treatments you received as a child or teenager could cause problems in the future.

You have already been attending hospital appointments to monitor your growth, development and health. As you get older, it will be necessary to refer you to specialists in adult services to continue your monitoring and to treat any potential new problems. Many of the specialists are based at University College Hospital and its associated hospitals (such as Eastman Dental Hospital and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery). You will continue long-term follow-up at University College Hospital or with your GP, or a combination of both. This will depend on the treatment you received and your needs.

It’s important that we make a plan for your follow-up together and that you know how to contact the hospital if you have any worries about your health in the future.

The appointment will give you the opportunity to discuss any health concerns you may have, and have your questions answered.

As a young adult, we want you to feel comfortable to attend your clinic appointments on your own. This will enable you to have a confidential chat with us about your past treatment, general health, relationships or fertility. We will have a record of your treatment details from your referring hospital, so we will be able to answer any questions you may have about your past treatment. This should help you to explain your medical history to other doctors in the future if necessary.

Your transition clinic appointment will be a video appointment which you can access via myCare (the UCLH patient portal). Our late effects coordinator will give you the details for joining the appointment via your telephone or computer/laptop. Please find a private place for your consultation so that you can talk freely with your CNS.

We can arrange a face-to-face appointment in the transition clinic if it is needed. Please talk to your CNS or late effects coordinator if you’d like to know more.

If you need to attend a face-to-face appointment in the future, it will take place at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre (third floor) on Huntley Street, London WC1E 6AG. It’s about a five-minute walk from the main University College Hospital building.

Late effects coordinator or lead CNS for late effects of cancer:

• Tel: 020 3447 5536
• Email: uclh.late.effects@nhs.net