The NHS app should be changed to tell patients their blood type and target those who can help when stocks are low, the Health Secretary has said.
Wes Streeting said he was “really worried” about national shortages of O negative blood, which have forced hospitals to restrict their use of it.
He is to meet with health officials to examine ways to change the NHS app, so that blood type is automatically stored on the app, once it has been recorded.
The Health Secretary said he had tried to find out his blood type himself after the appeal in the wake of the cyber attack on London hospitals, only to find it was not recorded on the app, nor held by his GP, despite his having undergone repeated blood tests.
Mr Streeting found out he was unable to give blood, because of his recent history of kidney cancer.
But he said the NHS should make changes, so that such information is routinely stored, enabling mass targeting of the population when particular blood stocks run low.
Speaking about blood shortages, with less than two days’ supply of O negative stocks, he told LBC radio: “I’m really worried about this. If you are eligible to give blood, please come forward today and do it,” urging patience for those who could not get an immediate appointment.
He said the NHS should make better use of the information it receives, in order to respond more quickly in a crisis.
“Given how many times I’ve had my blood taken in recent years, my health problems, I should just know on the NHS app. And when we have shortages like this, we should just be able to ping people,” he said.
Mr Streeting intends to hold talks with officials about development of the NHS app, to ensure better use of routine data.
The Health Secretary said he was determined to end the “computer says no brick wall of NHS bureaucracy.”