Sickle cell is a life-long debilitating condition that predominantly affects people of black African and black African Caribbean background. This podcast series explores what it is like to have sickle cell and what the NHS is doing to improve sickle cell care following publication of the No One’s Listening report. In episode 1 Dr Dianne Addei, a consultant in public health medicine and NHS England’s lead for sickle-cell services, is joined by patient, Stephanie George, and Dr Rossby Awadzi, a North-west London haematology doctor to help clinicians, patients and the public to get a better understanding of sickle cell. Stephanie explains what it is like to live with sickle cell, while Dianne and Rossby discuss the benefits of genetic blood testing ahead of blood transfusions, the sickle cell patient education programme, role of staff education and Dianne provides an update on the new NHS sickle cell disorder emergency department by-pass units. A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/transcript-podcast-1-understanding-sickle-cell-and-the-role-of-education/ Contact us: england.sicklecellreview@nhs.net