Defence Medical Command and NHS Blood and Transplant have formalised a new strategic partnership intended to advance research and operational collaboration in battlefield blood transfusion.
The agreement, which was signed at the NHS Blood and Transplant’s largest blood centre in Filton, Bristol, seeks to address emerging challenges in military medicine, particularly in the context of modern warfare environments affected by drones.
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The signing took place at the facility with Defence Medical Command chief defence medical Air Marshal Clare Walton and NHS Blood and Transplant, chief executive Frances O’Callaghan formalising the agreement.
This partnership is designed to meet objectives set out in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, which calls for greater cooperation between Defence Medical Command and the NHS in order to boost collective capacity and capability.
Central to the partnership is a programme of joint research focusing on urgent transfusion care in complex settings and ensuring advancements benefit both military operations and civilian emergency services.
The collaboration will also contribute to projects supporting air ambulances and trauma units, with emphasis on products and solutions that can be deployed closer to the frontline, especially as drone surveillance and attack increasingly hamper traditional evacuation routes.
Among the agreed projects, the partnership will progress the Spray Dried plasma project as part of the Blood Far Forward programme.
This initiative aims to develop plasma products that are less reliant on temperature-controlled storage, making them suitable for use in austere or inaccessible conditions.
In addition, NHS Blood and Transplant is leading the SWiFT trial, which explores the use of whole blood in prehospital transfusions, research involving support from Air Ambulance services and the Ministry of Defence.
Whole blood provides operational benefits as it can be stored and administered more simply than separate blood components.
The collaboration also includes research and development into blood and blood components, as well as support for blood group testing capabilities.
NHS Blood and Transplant will continue to advise the Ministry of Defence and Nato partners on haematology and product safety, contributing to ongoing trauma product development and transfusion governance.
NHS Blood and Transplant is conducting separate trials on using drones for blood delivery, an area with potential dual military and civilian applications.
Alongside research, the strategic agreement outlines three additional areas of cooperation.
These include clinical support for the armed forces, the provision of blood for deployments, specialist education and training, and involvement with the Nato Blood Panel.
The framework is aimed at boosting preparedness for large-scale emergencies and supporting the scaling up of services in the event of major conflict.
Air Marshal Clare Walton said: “By bringing together operational expertise and clinical excellence, we are enhancing our collective ability to deliver life-saving care in the most demanding environments and ensuring that the Armed Forces can rely on resilient, world-class blood support.
“This agreement will improve end-to-end blood management, drive research and innovation and improve the quality of training to our people. It will also enhance our ability to promote interoperability with allies.”
