From this week it will be easier for gay and bisexual men to donate blood in England, Scotland and Wales. Until now, blood donation rules across the UK banned men who have sex with men from giving blood if they have been sexually active in the past 12 months, due to risk of HIV contamination.

However, changes were recommended earlier this year to reflect advances in screening technology. New rules come into effect from this week, reducing the 12-month deferral period to just three months. The changed rules have come into effect today (November 27) in Scotland and Wales, and will come into effect in England tomorrow (November 28).

Further changes are already being considered, with campaigners favouring a system that profiles based on individual risk, rather than categorising all sexually active gay men as inherently at-risk.