NHS England has been working with NHS Blood and Transplant on a national programme of work to better identify blood groups for patients in England living with inherited anaemias including sickle cell disorder, thalassemia and transfusion-dependent rare inherited anaemias.

The overarching aim of the programme is to improve blood typing and therefore matching, to ensure safer transfusions and reduce alloimmunisation, and improve clinical outcomes. The programme uses a DNA testing array, developed by the Blood Transfusion Genomics Consortium (www.bgc.io) to provide extended blood group genotyping and HLA typing.​

Recognising the instrumental role nurses play in the care of transfusion patients, NHS England’s Chief Scientific Officer Professor Dame Sue Hill and Professor Dee Thiruchelvam, the Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Blood and Transplant, are inviting haematology nursing staff to a webinar to familiarise attendees with the project, encourage and promote patient referrals and highlight the importance of your input to the success of the programme.​

​Date and time: Tuesday 4 March 2025, 16:15 to 17:00.

​Please register at: https://www.events.england.nhs.uk/events/nhse-cso-blood-group-genotyping-webinar-ne-y​
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The agenda will include:​

1. Welcome and introduction​

2. Importance of the programme​

3. Regional data summary​

4. Sample referral and consenting process​

5. Call for action​

6. Question and answer ​