Key Summary
- NHS needs 136,000 blood donors before Christmas
- O negative, B negative, and Ro types are most in demand
- Donations vital to cut surgery delays and support emergencies
The NHS has urged the blood donors to come forward to fill 136,000 available appointments as it prepares to reduce the backlog of surgeries and prepare for a busy winter.
NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England are appealing for donors to come forward over the next eight weeks to help improve their stocks.
O negative (the universal blood type), B negative, and the Ro subtype (commonly found in Black African and Black Caribbean heritages) are the highest in demand.
These blood type donors will receive priority access to appointments.
O negative is found in just 8 per cent of people but makes up over 16 per cent of hospital use.
The NHS needs 10,000 more O negative donors before Christmas to ensure enough blood for emergencies such as childbirth and major accidents.
“With over 100,000 appointments available to book over the next eight weeks, we are urging those with the blood types O negative, B negative and Ro to come in and donate” said Mark Chambers, director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant.
Hospitals across England are currently ordering almost 400 units of blood a week more than usual as they work to reduce elective surgery waiting lists in the lead up to Christmas.
The NHS has urged the public to take this call seriously as hospitals in England need over 5,000 blood donations each day to treat patients for accidents, cancer, sickle cell, childbirth, and planned surgeries.
Chambers observed, “Donating a unit of blood takes just an hour and each donation can save up to three lives.”
NHS Blood and Transplant has 28 donor centres situated in major towns and cities. Additional appointments are also being added at mobile community sessions around the country.
