A £9 million investment will see patients with sickle cell disease be able to access better treatment.

Around 17,000 people in England are living with sickle cell disease, which is an inherited blood disorder typically more common in people of Black African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage.

This funding from NHS England will go towards transforming aphaeresis services, which are a specialised set of treatments which remove harmful components in a patient’s blood, by funding more specialist treatment centres and technology.

Spectra Optia machines, which perform automated cell exchanges, would be more widely available, and has saved the NHS up to £12.9 million annually through reducing patients’ hospital stays and the need for other treatments. There are currently more than 20 NHS trusts offering treatment using this technology.

Further improvements aim to expand the availability of this treatment nationwide, which will include both increasing the availability of this technology out-of-hours as well as expanding the specialist workforce that operates this technology.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “People living with rare conditions like sickle cell disease face immense everyday challenges, and can sometimes struggle to get the specialised care they need.

“To make our health service fit for the future, we have to harness the power of new technologies, and these machines provide a shining example of how ours is starting to make huge advancements in digital healthcare.

“Through our Plan for Change, this government will be the one that removes the barriers to getting the latest and best tech to our NHS frontline, so patients can access the best care available, closer to home.”