Case Study: NHS Blood and Transplant cuts platelet expiries 54% and eliminates ad hoc transport with Kortical AI

AI Supply Chain Optimisation for Platelets to Reduce Costs

NHS Blood and Transplant engaged Kortical to tackle the difficult logistics of platelet supply — a short‑life blood product (7‑day shelf life) that must be held in multiple types and locations. NHSBT wanted to reduce costly ad hoc transport and further cut expiries beyond their already strong performance; they selected Kortical’s AI as a Service/AutoML and Kortical Cloud API after a prior successful collaboration.

Kortical implemented automated ML demand and supply forecasting, donor‑attendance models, a 700,000‑variable optimiser, a simulator to validate outcomes, and an interactive app — all deployed via the Kortical Cloud API. In six months the solution delivered measurable impact: a 54% reduction in expired platelets, a 100% reduction in costly ad hoc transport, and maintained the same high In Full delivery rate while replacing manual spreadsheets and processes.

NHS Blood and Transplant

Matt Hancock

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care