Bristolians urged to give blood amid dwindling supplies in hospitals
Around 740 more units of O negative blood were issued to hospitals in the past two weeks, putting pressure on blood stocks
The year may be less than a fortnight old, but NHS Blood and Transplant is appealing to people in Bristol to make giving blood to save lives their New Year’s resolution.
It's amid a surge in demand - and in places, dwindling supplies of blood stocks.
The NHS says it is particularly needing O and B negative donors who already have an appointment to not give it up if they are fit and healthy to do so.
They're also urging us to think about booking an appointment to donate over the next few weeks to help make sure hospitals have they blood they need this winter.
The appeal follows a 'higher then usual number of cancellations by donors' because of people coming down with seasonal illnesses, as well as holiday discuptions.
They also say a rise in demand for O negative blood from hospitals is also putting pressure on stocks, impacting the ability of the health service to collect enough of the right blood types.
Supplies of O and B negative blood are under pressure and urgently need to be rebuilt.
Anyone with an upcoming appointment is being asked to stick to it if they are fit and well.
Donors of O and B negative blood are asked to urgently call 0300 303 2096 to find a priority space.
And with almost 1,000 available appointments over at the Bristol Donor Centre over the course of January, the NHS says they are prepared to swap out other appointments in favour of those with the two most needed blood types.
More cancellations than usual
NHSBT says more than half of donors who cancelled their appointments over the last seven days cited sickness as the reason in a survey.
Compared to November, December's levels of cancelled appointments stood 16% higher - the highest month for cancellations so far this winter.
Indeed, there was one cancellation for every appointment that went ahead, with one more cancelled at short notice
There is also concern that public transport travel disruption could be putting some people off booking an appointment to donate, as many of the NHS’ 25 Blood Donor Centres in England are based in city or town centres.
As well as seasonal illnesses impacting donations, hospitals are ordering more O negative blood than expected.
Around 740 more units of O negative blood were issued to hospitals in the last week of December and the first week of January.
This is putting pressure on blood stocks, which is why donors are being asked to stick to their appointment and O and B negative donors to book urgently.
'Make it your New Year's resolution'
The NHS is urging people who haven't donated in a while to consider making their New Year’s resolution to book their next appointment now.
A recentYouGov surveyfound one in five existing blood donors only donate once a year or less. Yet healthy donors are generally eligible to make their next appointment every 12 weeks for men or 16 weeks for women.
Each donation takes up to an hour and can save or improve up to three lives. The NHS needs 6,000 units of blood each day to ensure patients get the blood they need.
David Rose, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “Make a New Year’s Resolution to Give Blood and save three lives. Please book an appointment to donate in the next few days and weeks.
“We are seeing higher than usual cancellations by donors due to seasonal illnesses and holiday disruption. If you are fit and well, please keep your appointment to help us build stocks.
“We particularly need O and B negative donors in the next few days and weeks to urgently increase supplies. If you are one of those donors and you don’t have a booking, please call us and we will find you a space. We might need to move the appointments of donors with other blood types to accommodate this, which will be frustrating for them, but it’s a necessary step to ensure that we can keep supplying hospitals with the right type of blood.”
Although about 8% of the population has O negative blood, it usually accounts for around 13% of hospital requests for red blood cells - though currently hospitals are requesting even more.
O negative blood is often called the ‘universal blood type’ because people of any blood type can receive it.
This makes it vitally important in an emergency or when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
One in seven people have O negative blood, which is why new blood donors are needed to help identify more people with O negative.
Blood stocks in England always reach their annual low point in the first week of January. NHS Blood and Transplant aims to hold above six days of blood stocks at any given time.
Bristol Donor Centre is at Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5LX.