Therapeutic Apheresis Services

Providing life-saving and life-enhancing services to adults and children

Our services are delivered across England and North Wales from eight therapeutic apheresis units which operate an outpatient model for non-acute patients. To make a patient referral or discuss services please contact your TAS unit. Patients are either treated in an NHS Blood and Transplant unit or, when clinically appropriate, hospital.

Lilian Hook, Director of Cell Apheresis and Gene Therapies, is supported by a Senior Management Team of Dr James Griffin, Clinical Director; Teresa Baines, Head of TAS and Deputy Chief nurse for Clinical Services; Louise Collingwood, Head of Operations; Nicola Newbound, Senior Nurse of Education and Claire Gillson, Head of Service Development.

For more information read our service portfolio.

Services 

TAS supports a range of clinical specialties including haematology, oncology, nephrology, neurology and rheumatology. Therapeutic procedures include:

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection (PBSC)

Collection of peripheral blood stem cells from either patients or donors, which are used for transplantation. Transplantation is usually required following high dose chemotherapy which destroys a patient’s bone marrow.

Lymphocyte Collection (DLI) 

Collection of lymphocyte white cells from donors who have previously donated bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells.

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) 

Removal of disease mediators, excessive/abnormal constituents from plasma or replacement of deficient constituents.

Red Cell Exchange (RCE) 

Removal and replacement of a patient’s red blood cells.

Platelet Depletion 

Removal of platelets in patients with very high platelet counts due to disease.

White Cell Depletion 

Removal of white cells in patients with very high white cell counts due to disease.

Low Density Lipid Removal (LDL) 

Removal of LDL cholesterol molecules using filtration technology.

Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) 

An integrated two-stage procedure in which white cells are collected, removed then treated with a photo activated drug and exposed to ultraviolet light before being returned to the patient.

Information for patients receiving treatment

 

Newsletters

Our newsletters give an overview of the key initiatives we are undertaking to improve patient access to services and treatment provision across England. Each issue focuses on a clinical specialty.