NHS Blood and Transplant are trailing a Blood Mobile in London to support their ongoing campaign to recruit 40,000 new black blood donors in England to meet the need for more closely matched blood.

Be one of the 40,000 black heritage blood donors who are needed to provide blood donation for patients with sickle cell by signing up to the NHSBT Blood Mobile today.

How to book

If you are interested in donating at one of the locations please email Blood.Mobile@nhsbt.nhs.uk for more information. Make sure to mention that you came from us!

Please note, during the trial NHSBT are asking donors not to bring children with them due to space restrictions on the Blood Mobile.

Why do you need more black people to donate blood?

More and more black people are saving lives by donating blood but there is still a shortage. NHSBT need 40,000 black donors over the next three years, especially to provide much needed blood donations for black patients with sickle cell disease.

People from similar ethnic backgrounds are more likely to have matching blood. But there are not enough black donors and some black hospital patients don’t always get the best matched blood.

Why has there been such an increase in demand for black donors?

Sickle cell, which is more common in black people, is the most common and fastest growing genetic disorder in the UK. Many black patients with sickle cell rely on blood transfusions to stay alive. More patients have been identified as needing regular full exchange transfusions, where all their blood is replaced. This complete blood transfusions require a lot more blood.

Why don’t more black people donate? Why don’t more black men donate?

More and more black people are donating blood. The number of black donors has gone up by 29% over the past three years. However, donation levels are still low and seriously ill patients need more black blood donors. NHSBT’s past research has found there is a lack of awareness of the need for donations and higher levels of concern about the process. Fewer people in the black community have existing family connections to donations. However, we know that when people of all backgrounds understand that they can save lives by donating blood, and that their blood is needed, they are motivated to make that first appointment. NHSBT launched a campaign to recruit more black blood donors in June 2017 and they hope the blood mobile will help them to reach more people who have never considered donation before.

Why are you only trialling it in London?

Black people are ten times more likely than Caucasian people have a rare blood subtype called Ro. This subtype is especially in demand to help black patients with sickle cell, many of whom need regular blood transfusions to treat their illness. 60% of all potential Ro blood donors in the country live in London. The blood mobile will be running sessions in areas of London where there is a high black population to recruit new black donors and identify those with the Ro subtype, to meet growing demand.

Find out more about NHSBT here: https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/