logo
NHS on the hunt for ‘precision-matched' blood donors

NHS on the hunt for ‘precision-matched' blood donors

Rhyl Journal3 days ago
Scientists have tested tens of thousands of blood donors to see if they have rare blood types in a UK-first.
The blood from donors with rare blood types will be collected and frozen so it can be used to help other people with the same type of blood.
It will also be available should the donor be in a situation where they themselves need a blood transfusion.
The new drive to find precision-matched blood donors comes to help people who are at risk of blood transfusion side effects.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said that blood matching is 'vital' due to the complexity of blood groups – there are 362 known blood types.
So far its scientists have DNA-tested the blood types of 77,000 donors as part of a research project.
This is the first time that blood types have been DNA tested in the UK at-scale, NHSBT said.
Dozens of rare blood donors have been identified during the process and it is hoped the number will rise to hundreds.
This means that blood from these donors can be used as 'personalised, precision-matched transfusion' for those in need.
This can help avoid severe transfusion reactions – where the body sees the transfused blood as 'foreign' and rejects it.
People who are particularly at risk of these reactions are those who regularly receive blood donations including those with sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia.
Experts hailed the project as the 'first major step' towards rolling out precision-matched blood more widely.
Dr Gail Miflin, chief medical officer at NHSBT, said: 'Taking these 77,000 donors and testing their blood to such a precise level has been an incredible undertaking and will work to significantly change the way we issue blood – especially to those patients at higher risk of transfusion related reactions.
'We will be able to match to an increasing number of blood groups, ensuring that patients have blood that is most similar to their own and reducing the risk of any reactions. It is an example of just how we are driving innovation which can radically improve patient outcomes.'
NHSBT's genomics programme director, Kate Downes, added: 'This inventory of blood will enhance our capacity to find units with rare blood groups for difficult to match patients as well as provide better matched units for patients who have an increased risk of transfusion reactions, aiding us in our mission to save and improve even more lives.
'This genotyping is a first major step towards rolling out precision matched blood more widely, which would be a landmark change in how blood is matched.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How have UK insects been affected by 2025's hot, sunny weather?
How have UK insects been affected by 2025's hot, sunny weather?

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

How have UK insects been affected by 2025's hot, sunny weather?

Certain insects - including ladybirds, butterflies and wasps - are thriving after the warmest and sunniest spring on record across the numbers, the main food source of ladybirds, boomed according to the Royal Horticultural Society after a warm start to the the relative lack of rain this spring and summer could lead to lower insect and amphibian numbers next year since eggs may not be laid and wetland areas are drying up. Insect numbers are difficult to quantify but research suggests that in the longer term, the UK's flying insect population is in decline. An abundance of aphids Whilst the long term picture for the decline of flying insects looks pretty bleak, there is no denying that this year has been a visibly bumper Brown is director of climate change and evidence at The Wildlife Trusts, a federation of 46 independent wildlife conservation charities in the UK. She said: "Many people across the UK are noticing more ladybirds, wasps and other insects this summer – off the back of a very poor year last year for species like butterflies."These are all species that thrive in warm, dry conditions. Earlier in the year the Royal Horticultural Society correctly predicted that we were in for an abundant year for aphids. Whilst that has proved a bit of a headache for gardeners, aphids form an important part of the food chain and are eaten by birds and other Hayley Jones, principal entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society, says that their numbers are now beginning to drop off as their natural predator - the ladybird - is taking over and playing catch up. 'Extraordinary' year for early butterfly sightings Another much loved flying insect, the butterfly, is often seen as an important indicator of the general health of the immediate environment. These have been in general decline since the Richard Fox, head of science at the Butterfly Conservation charity, says that 2025 has been quite extraordinary in terms of early sightings with 18 species spotted at least two weeks earlier than average and a further 24 species seen at least a week is in contrast to last year's 'butterfly emergency', declared when the lowest numbers of butterflies were ever recorded. This followed a cloudy, wet spring and cool summer. Some varieties, such as the dark green fritillary did not have a single sighting in like all insects, are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and need the warmth and light of the sun to regulate their body temperature and give them energy to fly. This year's warmth has helped them move through their lifecycle quickly meaning their survival rate has been remarkably good; spending less time as caterpillars and as potential bird food. Lepidopterist Martin Wills, who records numbers at Hutchinson's Bank Nature Reserve in south London, confirmed that it has been a fantastic butterfly season so far with record numbers of early sightings. You can take part in 2025's Big Butterfly Count which is on until 10 August and go to BBC Weather to find out what the weather is doing in your area. Bumper year for lavender Not far from Hutchinson's Bank Nature Reserve in south London lie some of the UK's most beautiful lavender fields which are fantastic habitats for butterflies and especially bees. Lavender thrives in sunny, warm conditions with dry summers and mild winters. This year in the UK it has come into full bloom much earlier than usual, meaning more bees and butterflies earlier in the year. Lorna May, the owner of Mayfield Lavender in Surrey, told BBC Weather she had seen a tenfold increase on last year in honey production which she put down to the happy and soaring bee the number of pests have increased too including the tiny, shiny rosemary beetle which has exploded in number this year. To avoid using pesticides, an army of volunteers remove the beautiful bugs by cause for concern of an early lavender bloom for Lorna May is that the plant may die earlier and this could in turn have a notable effect on the local biodiversity for the rest of the summer. According to Kathryn Brown of The Wildlife Trusts, climate change is making things more chaotic for said: "We're waiting to see the statistics for this year, but it's likely that we are seeing greater 'boom and bust' cycles for wildlife as we experience increasing erratic weather patterns." The latest State of the UK Climate report published by the Met Office remarks that weather extremes are now becoming the new normal and that hotter, drier summers will become more of the 10 warmest UK springs have occurred since 2000, with the three warmest since course, wildlife are sensitive not only to weather extremes but also to the use of pesticides and loss of it is often overlooked how important insects are to our biodiversity, playing vital roles in almost every ecosystem. From pollination, to being an essential food source, to helping the decaying process. The Wildlife Trusts suggests you can help declining populations by mowing your lawn less often, supporting local rewilding projects and creating ponds.

10,000 steps myth - should you be a stickler for recommended daily doses?
10,000 steps myth - should you be a stickler for recommended daily doses?

BBC News

time5 hours ago

  • BBC News

10,000 steps myth - should you be a stickler for recommended daily doses?

It felt like there was a collective sigh of relief when a study, published this week, suggested 10,000 steps a day isn't the health utopia we had all been led to news that we only had to reach 7,000 steps was enough to quite literally stop us in our fervent step-counting what about some of the other health targets that many of us swear by? Can we fall short of the mark but still live long, healthy and happy lives?We've taken a handful of commonly cited healthy lifestyle benchmarks, examined them with various experts to get an idea of why they exist, explored the health claims, and, most importantly asked if there is any wriggle sleep so important that we have to spend so much of our lives doing it? How much exercise is enough? What about drinking water? How much do we really need?Disclosure - the below is not medical advice, it's more of an inspection of many of the health ideals we have on our radar. Water (6-8 glasses a day) According to the NHS, the average grown-up should be drinking between six and eight glasses (1.5-2 litres) of water a day. However, maybe we don't need to cart our fancy flagons around with us as much as we thought. Prof Neil Turner, kidney specialist at the University of Edinburgh, says as humans we existed for thousands of years without knowing what a pint or a litre was."I mean, mice don't need flashing water bottles telling them how much to drink - why do we?" he says."Our bodies are set up to do things just right - we eat when we are hungry, we breathe when we need to breathe, and we drink when we are thirsty." it really that simple? According to Prof Turner, who has seen a lot of kidneys in his time, that rule applies to the vast majority of us. Those with specific conditions, like a kidney disorder, may have to drink says if our urine is dark, in the general healthy population, we shouldn't panic that we haven't drank enough - that is the kidney doing its job. It is reserving water in our body, he explains, and our body should tell us that we feel thirsty and then we will get a Linia Patel, a performance nutritionist, disagrees. We might drink different amounts, she says, due to factors like our size, how warm we are, whether we've been drinking alcohol, but she feels having a target of 1.5 to 2 litres is a good thing - especially for women."I would definitely say from a women's health point of view, where I work, what I see is a lot of the symptoms [associated] with being dehydrated. It might be fatigue, constipation, brain fog, feeling hungry [or] cravings."She says that if the problem is related to hydration then it's "an easy one to get right, if you're consistent with it". Sleep (7-9 hours a night) Moving on to sleep - the NHS recommends seven to nine hours a night for the average adult, and there's not much wriggle room to be had there. Prof Ama Johal, a specialist in sleep disorders, says sleep is vital; without it we are beginning to shave years off our lives."The evidence is there, there are huge bodies of research which show that the health benefits are multiple."A good night's sleep - that's at least seven hours of quality sleep - reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, depression and finally, it lowers mortality rates."He points to a study which used 10,000 British civil servants - those that slept for fewer than five hours a night had an increased risk of early could we shave an hour off the minimum recommended - and settle for six hours a night?"No," Prof Johal says. "As soon as we lower the limit then there's a risk people will think it's ok to sleep for less time."Cat napping?"Unfortunately not," he says, "Our bodies have very different reactions to naps through the day, and eventually if we tried to make up the hours we were missing overnight by sleeping through the day, we would struggle to fall asleep at night."But all is not lost, nappers among us - there are studies that suggest a short snooze in the day can keep the brain youthful, and even compensate for poor or broken sleep the night Johal suggests that for those who struggle to get the recommended amount, try to target a few nights of good sleep a week, and just being "more aware that sleep is so important". Emily and Lucy are two avid walkers from Manchester. But alongside their love of walking, the two women share a less healthy trait: they struggle to nod off because of their they say the target of seven hours sleep a night is something they "are working towards". Exercise (150 mins a week) Emily and Lucy are, however, "definitely nailing it" when it comes to exercise. Through their group, Soft Girls who Hike, they have found a love of walking which has not only improved their mental health, they say, but connected them with many other don't try to meet all the healthy benchmarks on their radar, they explain, because "life just gets in the way". But they are doing 7,000 steps a day and taking long, low impact walks at the Chief Medical Officer recommends doing 150 minutes of exercise a week and two strength training sessions. Is that achievable for most?Dr Sinead Roberts, a sports nutritionist who trains elite athletes, is pragmatic in her approach. While moderate strength training and physical activity is vital for maintaining muscle mass, she says, as well as resistance to injuries and supporting our immune systems, you have to adapt the recommendations to fit with your life."Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise people," she says. "This phrase really does apply here."I have friends who do nothing - and that really does show, I say, 'You're walking like an 80-year-old!'"But if you are doing one strength session a week and some moderate exercise then that is definitely a good thing, just try and do more if you can."She uses an analogy of a highway - the more things we can do to stay healthy the wider the road, which, in turn means we can go off course sometimes without careering up a grassy verge."All those benchmarks are interlinked - you can't just do one healthy thing and ignore the rest. Equally you don't need to put so much pressure on yourself to achieve them all."This attitude chimes with Emily and Lucy, who say they happily "chip away" at some of the health benchmarks."For example, we might do five minutes of meditation [which is] better than nothing, but we wouldn't stress about not hitting the recommended goal." Mindfulness (10 mins a day) Through its Every Mind Matters campaign, the NHS recommends 10 minutes of mindfulness a day. Basically, instead of pondering the future or thinking about the past, you pay attention to the moment, noticing what is going on inside and outside of ourselves, letting our thoughts pass by without studies suggest activities like mindfulness can have a positive effect and also help change the structure of the Natasha Tiwari, founder of The Veda Group, says 10 minutes is a good start to "give the mind time to settle, and the brain enough time to truly benefit" from the process of many of us lead busy lives, and to carve out 10 minutes in the day can be a luxury. In some respects, could having these targets make life more stressful?Ms Tiwari disagrees - it's less about the time spent and more about the awareness of mindfulness and bringing it to our everyday lives."Even brief pauses," she explains, "can still have a positive impact". Most experts I've spoken to agree that while benchmarks are useful, and simplicity is key, it's better not to fixate on a number. Rather, find a way to incorporate a healthy outlook to diet, exercise and mental health into everyday sitting for some time writing this, I am going to sign off - there is another health benchmark I've just come across: limiting sitting down to less than eight hours a day. So, I had better get moving.

Trans doctor altered notes after changing room row, tribunal told
Trans doctor altered notes after changing room row, tribunal told

Times

time5 hours ago

  • Times

Trans doctor altered notes after changing room row, tribunal told

A transgender doctor edited notes on a phone to add patient safety concerns about a nurse hours after she challenged the doctor's right to use female changing rooms, a tribunal has been told. A landmark employment tribunal had previously been told that Beth Upton kept contemporaneous notes of interactions with Sandie Peggie, including claims that she had put patient safety at risk by failing to communicate with her senior colleague. Peggie is suing the health board for discrimination and harassment due to having to share a single-sex changing room with Upton, who was born male but now identifies as a woman. Peggie was suspended from work for several months after she confronted the doctor in women's changing rooms in Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, on Christmas Eve, 2023.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store