Scientists at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust are helping young patients to understand what happens behind the scenes by inviting them for laboratory tours, so they can see the inner workings of the hospital.
Six-year-old Rocco was invited to an exclusive tour of the blood transfusion laboratory at the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) with his twin brother, Frankie, and Mum, Vicky, to help understand his condition and see the laboratory process.
Rocco, from Leicester, has a condition called Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA), which is a bone marrow disorder where the bone marrow doesn’t produce enough red blood cells. This condition means Rocco regularly attends the LRI for blood transfusions.
The visit to the laboratory was set up after Vicky saw a poster on ward 27 and decided to find out more.
She said: “We really enjoyed the visit to the labs and found it informative, it’s a really nice way of teaching young patients about what happens to their blood and how it all works behind the scenes. I would recommend it to any parent who has a child undergoing treatment as it is a great way to understand more about your child’s care.”
During the visit, special guest, Rocco, and his brother had a tour of the laboratory and saw how a rapid blood group test is carried out. They also saw the blood group analysers, which are used to test samples, and the blood fridges, where blood is stored.
This was important to Rocco and his family as they were able to see where the blood comes from for his regular transfusions.
Rocco said: “Seeing the blood in the machine was the best bit!”
Shazia Ismail, Senior Biomedical Scientist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, helped to organise and facilitate the visit. She said: “These tours really help children who are regular patients to understand how their samples are tested and processed. It also helps them to overcome their fear of coming to the hospital and creates a more friendly environment. As biomedical scientists, we enjoy being able to promote and share the importance of our work and our involvement in patient care.
“It was lovely to see Rocco and Frankie interested in the process and being able to give them both a lab coat and a goodie bag made it educational and fun.”
The blood transfusion team at UHL tests around 2,000 samples every week across the Trust and provide around 400 blood products every day across all three sites.
The laboratory tour took place on as part of the ‘Harvey’s Lab Tours’ – a unique programme run by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). It allows children to step inside hospital labs, see how important tests are carried out, and learn about the amazing work of scientists and laboratory staff. The programme helps young patients feel less anxious about medical tests by showing them exactly what happens to their samples after they visit the hospital.
Families who are interested in a lab tour can reach out to their hospital specialist, who will help facilitate visits and ensure it is tailored appropriately to their individual needs. Find out more at the Harvey’s Lab Tour website.