NHS Blood and Transport is partnering with Boots to provide free self-testing blood type kits in four stores across South London and Birmingham.
The initiative aims at increasing blood donations and find those with most-needed blood types.
According to the report by NHS, it requires more O negative and B negative donors. There is also a shortage of donors with Black heritage who are vital to helping treat patients with sickle cell.
It was also found that many people don’t know their blood type. A NHSBT research found that less than half of people know their blood type.
Donors can have their type confirmed after their first donation, or have it confirmed through a lab test.
Those taking part in the pilot scheme must be 17 or older and 25,000 free kits are being offered.
The Boots stores are also situated close to donor centres. Birmingham Donor Centre has around 850 appointments still available over the next 2 weeks and Brixton has 1,300.
England’s hospitals demand about 5,000 blood donations every day. Every year, the NHS requires 200,000 new donors to replace those who stop donating.
Last November, the NHS had urged blood donors to come forward to fill 136,000 available appointments as it prepares to reduce the backlog of surgeries and prepare for a busy winter.
