NHS Blood and Transplant launch appeal for blood donors in the South West
Two in three of us who registered last year across our region are yet to make their first donation of blood in 2023
Across the South West, NHS Blood and Transplant are launching a fresh appeal for people who registered to give blood last year to come forward in 2023.
It's as new figures published by NHSBT reveal around 235,000 people who signed up to give blood last year are yet to make their first donation.
During 2022 more than 35,800 people registered with Give Blood in the South West but only 10,947 have attended an appointment – meaning more than two in three are yet to do so.
South West blood donation statistics
- In Bristol, more than 7000 people registered with Give Blood in 2022 - but only around 3000 have come forward and attend an appointment this year
- In Gloucester, more than 1800 people registered with Give Blood in 2022 - but only around 460 have come forward and attend an appointment this year
- In Plymouth, nearly 3000 people registered with Give Blood in 2022 - but only around 840 have come forward and attend an appointment this year
This all comes following NHSBT's first ever amber alert on blood stocks shortages during October, which sparked a huge response from the public wanting to help.
Following that appeal, more than 8,000 people in the South West registered to give blood in the space of four weeks - however, only one in five of those people have donated blood since then.
People who registered during 2022 may have found it more difficult than in recent years to make their first appointment as the NHS experienced a challenging year with low blood stocks - especially as existing donors were prioritised.
Blood stocks have since stabilised.
There is an urgent need for more donors of Black heritage as they are more likely to have the blood type needed to treat sickle cell patients – the country’s fastest growing genetic blood disorder. The demand for ethnically matched blood for these patients has already doubled in recent years.
David Rose, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We always need new people to join our amazing community of lifesaving blood donors and help meet the needs of patients right now and in the future.
“If you are one of the more than 35,000 people in the South West who registered last year but are yet to attend an appointment, or you’re thinking about signing up to donate, please make 2023 the year you save lives.
“More slots are now available for first time donors but if you can’t find an immediate appointment, don’t worry. Please book for further in the future as we need lifesavers every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s months or weeks ahead – every donation counts. Giving blood is quick and easy, and you will feel amazing afterwards.”
NHS Blood and Transplant are launching the second phase of its first ever mass home blood type testing campaign to help identify 5,000 individuals with the critical O negative blood, which is the universal blood type that can be given to any patient in an emergency or where their blood type isn’t known.
The campaign is part of a trial to use home test kits on a large-scale to identify people with a certain blood type.
Over the next six weeks 36,000 home testing kits will be sent to people who have recently registered but have not yet made an appointment.
Those found to have O negative blood will be offered priority appointments.
From the 29,000 kits sent out last autumn, 715 people who responded were O negative and two in five has either gone on to complete a donation or has an upcoming appointment to donate.
Last summer NHS Blood and Transplant announced a five year strategy to recruit one million new donors of all blood types to ensure better matched blood for patients in the future and reduce health inequalities.
Blood is needed to help the NHS treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery.
You can find out more on the Give Blood website.