The NHS is calling for more blood donors in Cambridge to come forward this half term and Halloween period – a season usually associated with blood for more light-hearted reasons – to help tackle the ongoing blood shortage.
Cambridge Donor Centre at Addenbrooke’s Hospital has around 250 appointments still available this week alone, plus hundreds more over the coming weeks.
NHS Blood and Transplant needs donors to fill empty slots at its town and city donor centres over the coming weeks and months to help sustain blood stocks over the critical winter period.
AMBER ALERT FOR LOW STOCK OF O NEGATIVE
The Amber alert issued in July for severely low stocks of O negative blood remains in place.
More donors from the Black community are particularly needed because they are more likely to have the blood type used to treat sickle cell.
The NHS currently only has enough donors to supply half the amount of blood hospitals needed by sickle cell patients. The rest needs to be substituted with O negative.
People with O negative and B negative blood are also urged to come forward right now. Both existing and first-time donors can help.
Mark Chambers, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “Halloween is all about fake blood and gore. But we need real blood – and lots of it – to save lives at Halloween and all year round.
“We saw a fantastic response from our amazing donors in Cambridge after issuing Amber alert. But right now, the city’s donor centre has hundreds of empty appointments, and we really need donors to come forward over the Halloween period and beyond into the winter months.
NHS URGENT NEED FOR CERTAIN BLOOD TYPES
“The NHS remains in urgent need of certain blood types. We especially need more people in the Black community to come forward because of the ongoing need for better matched blood for people living with sickle cell.”
He added: “Giving blood doesn’t have to be scary this Halloween. There are no tricks but there are plenty of treats, with a fantastic selection of post-donation snacks on offer.“
“Most rewarding of all, each time you donate you can save or improve up to three lives.”
Existing Ro, O negative and B negative donors are asked to call 0300 123 23 23 for a priority appointment.
Fifty six percent of people of Black heritage have the much-needed Ro subtype, compared with just two percent of people from other ethnicities. Having blood that is better matched is critical for people with sickle cell. It reduces the risk of transfusion reactions which can cause serious complications, and significantly improves people’s long-term health.
Only eight per cent of the population has O negative blood but it accounts for around 15 per cent of the blood hospitals need, as it is used for all patients in emergencies or where blood type is not known.
HUNT FOR RARE BLOOD TYPES – IS IT YOU?
B negative is one of the rarest blood types as just two percent of donors have it. The NHS always needs more B negative donors and relies heavily on the support and commitment of existing donors to ensure patients receive the blood they need.
Blood is constantly needed to help the NHS treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery, and O negative blood is mostly used for emergency care. Each donation can save or improve up to three lives.
To book an appointment visit www.blood.co.uk, use the GiveBlood app or call 0300 123 23 23.
FACT FILE
- Blood donation
- NHS Blood and Transplant needs to collect 1.45 million units of blood each year to meet the needs of patients across England.
- There are four main blood groups – O, A, B and AB. O negative (the universal blood group) and B negative are particularly vulnerable to shortfalls. So, we want people with those blood groups to donate as regularly as they can.
- The NHS needs up to 200,000 new blood donors each year to replace those who stop donating and to ensure we have the right mix of blood groups to match patient needs in the future.
- We urgently need more Black heritage donors as they are more likely to have the blood type needed to treat the increasing number of patients suffering from sickle cell disease.
- There is an urgent need for donors with Ro blood.
- Only 2% of our donors have Ro type blood. Collecting enough is a constant challenge. Ro is often used to save people with the rare blood disorder, sickle cell disease. Ro blood is ten times more common in black people than in white people.
About NHS Blood and Transplant
- NHS Blood and Transplant is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. We provide the blood donation service for England and the organ donation service for the UK. We also provide donated tissues, stem cells and cord blood.
- We are an essential part of the NHS, saving and improving lives through public donation.
- It is quick and easy to book an appointment to give blood. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit blood.co.uk
