Merseyside hospitals desperate for blood as number of donors continues to dwindle

NHS Blood and Transplant needs blood donations at the Liverpool Donor Centre.

Blood stocks are falling due to higher levels of staff and donor illness, mainly linked to the rise in coronavirus cases. Donations are also lower in the summer, when people are busy with holidays and events.

While many sessions held in community venues such as church halls are full, the larger blood donor centres in cities currently have unfilled appointments. The Liverpool Blood donor centre is only 74% full next week w/c July 11.

The NHSBT blood stock holding unit in Liverpool - which serves the wider region, not just the city - has four days of blood, whereas NHSBT normally looks to hold six days.

Stocks have fallen because hospitals are requesting more blood than is currently being donated. The demand for blood is back to pre-pandemic levels as hospitals catch up on the backlog of routine activity that was postponed.

Hospitals are still receiving all the blood they need but more donations are needed now, to ensure stocks do not fall further.

The blood types most in demand are O positive, O negative, and B negative.

Each blood donation can save or improve up to three lives. Blood is used to treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery.

Mark Chambers, NHSBT Assistant Director of Planning, said: “We are still supplying hospitals with all the blood they need. However we need to stop the decline in blood stocks now.

“We urgently need more people to make appointments to give blood at our Liverpool donor centre.

“If you are one of our amazing donors in Liverpool please make and keep an appointment at our donor centre.

“And if you have never donated before, now is a great time to make your first donation. You will be helping the NHS at an important time.

“Every appointment counts.”