New eligibility rules that will allow more men who have sex with men to donate blood, platelets and plasma come into effect this week, marking an historic move to make blood donation more inclusive while keeping blood just as safe.
From today – World Blood Donor Day – the questions asked of everyone when they come to donate blood in England, Scotland and Wales will change. Eligibility will be based on individual circumstances surrounding health, travel and sexual behaviours evidenced to be at a higher risk of sexual infection.
Donors will no longer be asked if they are a man who has had sex with another man, removing the element of assessment that is based on the previous population-based risks.
Instead, any individual who attends to give blood – regardless of gender – will be asked if they have had sex and, if so, about recent sexual behaviours. Anyone who has had the same sexual partner for the last three months will be eligible to donate.
The changes to the re-named Donation Safety Check form will affect blood, plasma and platelet donors. The process of giving blood will not change.
Ella Poppitt, Chief Nurse for Blood Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. This change is about switching around how we assess the risk of exposure to a sexual infection, so it is more tailored to the individual.
“We screen all donations for evidence of significant infections, which goes hand-in-hand with donor selection to maintain the safety of blood sent to hospitals. All donors will now be asked about sexual behaviours which might have increased their risk of infection, particularly recently acquired infections. This means some donors might not be eligible on the day but may be in the future.
“Our priority is to make sure that donors are able to answer the pre-donation questions in a setting that makes them feel comfortable and safe and donation is something that continues to make people feel amazing. Our staff have been trained to make sure these more personal conversations are conducted with care and sensitivity and accurate information is captured.
“We are asking all blood, plasma and platelet donors to please consider the new questions alongside the existing health and travel questions before their appointment, and to re-schedule if they do not meet the changed criteria to donate right now.
“We want donation to be a positive experience and we are looking forward to welcoming donors as we move forward with these changes.”
The changes follow an evidence-based review by the FAIR (For the Assessment of Individualised Risk) steering group led by NHS Blood & Transplant, and including National AIDS Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and Stonewall, which concluded that switching to an individualised, gender neutral approach is fairer while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.
FAIR concluded that the new donor selection system will maintain the UK’s status as one of the safest blood supplies in the world. The findings were accepted in full by the government last December.
Dr Michael Brady, medical director at THT, said: “It’s great to see these changes to blood donation eligibility being brought in. We’ve always been clear that the safety of the blood supply is the priority here. This change to a more individualised risk assessment is in line with the latest scientific evidence while also allowing as many people as possible to safely donate blood.”
Data around the impact of the donor selection changes will be kept under review and assessed 12 months after implementation to determine if changes are needed. Feedback from donors, LGBTQ+ individuals, patients and representatives will be a key consideration in this review.
To become a blood donor, call 0300 123 23 23, download the GiveBloodNHS app or CLICK HERE
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