NHS says sickle cell is ‘fastest growing genetic condition in UK’ and demand for blood has jumped 67% in five years
The NHS is facing a shortage of blood amid soaring demand from sickle cell disease patients, prompting senior health officials to issue an urgent call for more black donors.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said a record level of blood donations are needed every day to treat people with sickle cell disease. The rising demand for more care than ever before is because it is the “fastest growing genetic condition in the UK”, it said.