Skip to main content
NHS National Services Scotland Home

Blood group genotyping programme in Scotland

Published on 12 December 2025

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) successfully collaborated with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and NHS England (NHSE) to provide almost 400 patients with rare inherited red cell disorders in Scotland access to state-of-the-art blood group testing, as part of the Blood Group genotyping programme. This programme ran from 10 December 2024 to 12 December 2025. This was a first step towards providing better matched blood transfusions for those who need it most.

What did the programme offer?

The blood group genotyping programme offered genetic testing aiming to provide more detail about each patient’s blood groups. The test performed answers the question 'what blood groups do you have?'. There are over 300 known blood groups.

Results from the programme will also provide some details about Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) typing, which can help find suitable donors for patients eligible for bone marrow or stem cell transplants.

Who was eligible in Scotland?

Patients who receive regular blood transfusions or are likely to receive transfusions in the future with the following conditions:

  • Sickle Cell Disorder
  • Transfusion-dependent Thalassaemia
  • Transfusion-dependent Rare Inherited Red Cell Disorders – e.g. Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia Syndrome

How will blood group genotyping help?

Some blood groups are more common in certain ethnicities. If patients receive blood not closely matched to their own, they may develop antibodies. Antibodies may cause them to have severe reactions to future transfusions and may make it more difficult to find blood in future. In the future, as more patients and donors have blood group genotyping done, we will be better able to provide matched blood and reduce transfusion reactions.

What happens now?

Testing is being done by NHSBT. SNBTS and clinical teams are awaiting results in the coming months.

Where can I find out more?