Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, , how many sickle cell patients have developed haemolysis due to receiving a blood transfusion with unmatched blood during the last 12 months.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) is the United Kingdom’s independent, professionally led haemovigilance scheme. SHOT collects and analyses information on adverse events and reactions in blood transfusion from all healthcare organisations that are involved in the transfusion of blood components and specific blood products in the United Kingdom. Further information on SHOT is available at the following link:

https://www.shotuk.org/

The latest data available on haemolytic transfusion reactions was published in the Annual SHOT Report 2024. The report reviews reactions reported to SHOT from January to December 2024, and is available at the following link:

https://www.shotuk.org/shot-reports/annual-shot-report-2024/#annual-shot

Over the year, based on the available data, a total of 51 haemolytic transfusion reactions were reported. No errors were reported during the provision of blood components, meaning in all cases blood was appropriately matched, including safe substitutions where necessary, according to the patient requirements and clinical situation, as per British Society for Haematology’s guidelines, which are available at the following link:

https://b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/guidelines