Record increase in demand for blood donations across East Midlands to treat sickle cell
New figures reveal a 120% increase in demand by hospitals in the East Midlands for blood
Last updated 6th Oct 2022
The NHS is making an urgent call for more blood donors of Black heritage in Rutland as new figures reveal a 120% increase in demand by hospitals in the East Midlands for blood to treat sickle cell, the fastest growing genetic condition in the UK.
The figure shows a huge increase in hospitals requesting blood for the disorder over the past five years. Around 3,950 donations are now needed every year in the East Midlands.
Around 700 new Black blood donors are now needed in the East Midlands this year - with this community being most impacted by the disease.
NHS Blood and Transplant is this week launching a new campaign titled ‘Not Family, But Blood’ to recruit more donors of Black heritage.
Launched to coincide with Black History Month, the campaign highlights that although the Black community is diverse, one unifying thing is the power to treat sickle cell and provide life changing blood donations.
Sickle cell causes red blood cells to form into sickle or crescent shapes and become stuck in blood vessels, causing agonising crisis episodes, and serious or even fatal long term complications including organ damage and strokes. Many patients need regular blood transfusions to stay alive.
The rising demand is driven by increasing patient numbers, as people live for longer, and greater use of complete blood transfusions – known as red cell exchanges – due to improved patient outcomes.
Demand for blood to treat sickle cell has risen by 52% over the past five years and is projected to continue to rise.
Currently, NHS Blood and Transplant is only able to provide matched blood for just over half of the hospital requests – other patients need to be treated with O Negative, the universal blood type.
Being treated with O Negative rather than the correct blood type is clinically safe but could mean, long term, patients are more likely to develop antibodies. This puts them at risk of complications and makes it even harder to find blood they can receive.