Non-malignant haematology advice

Children and young people presenting acutely to a paediatric service outside of Christchurch and Auckland with a non-malignant haematological problem will, where possible, be dealt with by the paediatric service using available Starship Clinical Guidelines.

If additional assistance is required, this should be sought in the first instance from the local haematologist if one is available, since many non-malignant haematology problems in young people have similar investigation and management strategies as the same condition in adult patients.

In the case of a transfusion medicine related problem, the local transfusion service specialist should be able to deal with the problem.

If the assistance of a paediatric haematologist is required after involvement of these 2 local specialty services, then contact can be made as appropriate with Starship Blood and Cancer Service through the on call Haematologist/Oncologist (in the case of centres who have a shared care paediatric oncology contract with Starship) or CHOC through the on-call Oncologist/Haematologist (for centres who have a paediatric oncology shared care contract with CHOC). Both of these services have their call rosters filled by either paediatric oncologist or paediatric haematologist, but if the person on call is an oncologist, he/she may be able to provide advice or will know how to make contact with a paediatric haematologist for that advice.

In all instances where the assistance of a specialist paediatric haematologist is sought, both local paediatrician and adult haematologist should have first been involved and contact should be consultant to consultant.