Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage more men to donate blood.

NHS Blood and Transplant is responsible for the collection, manufacturing and issuing of blood products to the National Health Service in England.

There is always a need for new blood donors, of all blood types, to replace those donors who can no longer give blood. There is a high demand for male blood as only men’s blood can be used for some specialist transfusions and blood products. NHS Blood and Transplant also needs new blood donors from a black African or black Caribbean background to treat sickle cell disease.

In November 2019, NHS Blood and Transplant and BT Sport joined forces to recruit more male blood donors as, in 2019, 41% of new donor recruits were male. The campaign is being shown on live television, video on demand and social media.