Exciting improvements to our testing process - Scotblood

Following a successful pilot last year, we are pleased to announce our new process for blood and plasma donors requiring a Malaria Antibody Test (MAT). The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is committed to the ongoing enhancement of your donor experience while maintaining our focus on blood safety.

This new and exciting alteration will be introduced in phases across Scotland this year. From Thursday, 26 June 2025, this process will be in place at the Edinburgh Donor Centre and community venues in Edinburgh, Lothians, Scottish Borders and Fife.

Previously, only a sample test was taken initially, and a full donation could be collected during a second visit a few weeks later, following a negative result for malaria antibodies.
The new process allows you to give blood or plasma during your attendance, with donations tested for malaria antibodies behind the scenes and available for patients if all test results are satisfactory. This change will enable more of our donors to fulfil their wish to donate while allowing us to collect more blood, ensuring our blood stock levels remain safe.

Donors who give platelets or are outside the Edinburgh Donor Centre and South East Scotland area and require a malarial antibody test will continue to provide a small sample in the usual manner. Scotland’s regional rollout will then follow, with the Dundee, Aberdeen, and Inverness areas in late October 2025, and finally the Glasgow area in late November 2025.

I’m a platelet donor. Why is the process different for me?

Platelets have a short shelf life of just seven days. This means that unlike whole blood or plasma, we cannot store your platelet donation while we wait for a negative MAT result. If you donate platelets, it’s always advisable to contact your local donor centre to arrange a malarial antibody test.

Do I need to do anything differently?

Not at all. If you believe you may need a malaria antibody test, please book your appointment and come along as normal. Our team is on hand to answer any questions you may have.

• Living or travelling outside the UK can affect your ability to give blood. This is because some infections that can be spread by blood transfusion are more common overseas.
• If your malaria antibody test is negative and your other test results are satisfactory, we will not write to you with test results but will gratefully use your donation for patient care.
• If your malaria antibody test is reactive or positive, you cannot be a blood donor, and we cannot use your blood for patients. We will contact you and explain what it means for you.

To find out more, you can get in touch online, by contacting us online, emailing nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.scot, or by calling 0345 90 90 999 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm).