Raising awareness of red cell Pharmacists

A new article in the Pharmaceutical Journal has highlighted the growing role of specialist pharmacists in improving outcomes for people living with haemoglobinopathies, including those with sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia. The piece stresses that these inherited blood disorders disproportionately affect people from global majority communities, and patients have long faced significant health disparities which can be attributed to underinvestment, racial bias, or limited training of healthcare professionals. 

The emergence of haemoglobinopathy specialist pharmacists represents a significant step forward. Positioned across primary, secondary and community care, these pharmacists are driving improvements in medicines optimisation, patient-centered services, and adherence to treatments such as hydroxycarbamide and iron chelation therapies. Their presence is supported through new NHS investment, which is helping to establish a national Red Cell Pharmacist Network to share expertise and best practice. 

Published during Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the article calls on pharmacy professionals to deepen their knowledge of haemoglobinopathies and engage with national education programmes such as the Sickle Cell Disorder National Education Programme. The letter highlights that continued investment in education and specialist training is vital to delivering high-quality, equitable care, while raising the profile of haemoglobinopathies within pharmacy practice.