Star Awards: Our Winners

Prize for Transformation and Research

The winner of the 2022 Prize for Transformation and Research was Shivan Pancham, a Consultant Haematologist. Her role covers both patients and the laboratory setting, caring for patients with a range of conditions as well as liaising with the rest of the hospital to give advice and blood results. The laboratory also works to ensure the quality of samples.

Shivan and the team work across the Black Country Pathology Service, which includes four separate Trusts. She also works closely with the sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCAT) team based within SWB.

A key part of Shivan’s role is research and development, and it was this work that led to her nomination, shortlisting and eventual win; she has worked to open clinical trials for patients with haemoglobin disorders and introduced a pioneering new treatment for those with sickle cell disease.

Shivan said, “We serve the biggest population with SCAT in the West Midlands, and the second largest in the country after London. As an area, SCAT has not had a lot of research and development, and there had been no new treatments for sickle cell disease in over 30 years.

“Sickly cell disease is unpredictable and disruptive for people, and has a significant impact on their quality of life. It’s stigmatised and is an area that has needed research and investment.

“We were the second trust in the country to introduce a new treatment for sickle cell. The medication is used to help reduce the number of crises experienced by people with sickle cell. This means less visits to A&E, less pain and an overall better quality of life.”

The new treatment works by making red blood cells and vessels less sticky, thus preventing haemoglobin from getting stuck in vessels as frequently. This blocks the first step of a crisis and stops it progressing.

Shivan is really glad for the recognition, but is keen to state that she feels the win is for many.

“The win is not for me – it’s for the department. We carried out lots of work with pharmacy and nursing to get the protocols and infrastructure in place to deliver the new treatment.

“I am the face of it, but it’s a group of people working just as hard, or harder, than I do. To see the service getting recognised for the work they do; that’s the big win.”

Moving forward, Shivan and the team continue to trial new therapies and carry out research. They’re current working in partnership with other organisations to explore new therapies not currently offered at the Trust, such as gene therapy and transplants, and consider how these could be introduced at SWB. Since the awards, they have opened another clinical trial - the first in the region for patients with thalassemia.

Shivan’s hopeful that this work will continue; “It’s key to get this recognition for SCAT. I’m delighted to see the organisational acknowledgement for the SCAT service at SWB, as it is truly an exceptional and pioneering service in the region.”