The February All-Party Parliamentary Group for Genetic Haemochromatosis meeting was held online via Zoom webinar on Wednesday 17th February at 2.30pm. This session was well attended and reached full capacity.

The meeting was chaired by Sir John Hayes CBE MP (Conservative, South Holland and the Deepings) and Vice Chaired by Ben Lake MP (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion). 

The meeting heard from senior decision-makers at NHS Blood & Transplant on the GH Donor Scheme, introduced in May 2020, followed by an open Q & A. The meeting minutes are available for review here. The slides presented by NHS Blood & Transplant are here.

The presentation by our Chief Executive, Neil McClements on the case for screening for genetic haemochromatosis in the UK can be viewed here :

Haemochromatosis UK acts as secretariat to the APPG on GH. Following the meeting, we have supported the APPG in writing to :

• Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care asking for SF/TSAT to be added to the NHS Health Check programme
• UK National Screening Committee regarding our charity's recent consultation response

The APPG will meet again in mid-March to conduct its Annual General Meeting.

The next public session will be held in June (date TBC).