‘Unprecedented’ lows lead to blood donor appeal
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), based in Dodworth, are in the midst of an ‘amber alert’ after demand for blood from South Yorkshire’s hospitals exceeded collections by almost 3,000 units.
O-negative and O-positive donors have subsequently been asked to urgently book and fill appointments at centres in a bid to address the shortage.
The festive period is always a challenge for blood stocks as cold weather, seasonal illnesses and busier diaries lead to more unfilled and missed appointments, while demand from hospitals can rise, NHS bosses said, as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are the only days of the year that blood isn’t collected.
However, to supply local hospitals with the 1.5 million units of blood they need to treat patients, appointments need to be close to fully booked all year round.
Donors are being asked to make an appointment to donate if they don’t already have one, with thousands of slots still available this month alone.
Dr Jo Farrar, chief executive at NHS Blood and Transplant, said:
“The new year is a time when lots of people make resolutions - make giving blood your resolution for 2025 and you will save up to three lives every time you donate.
