Blood Donor Crisis: NHS Calls for One Million More Donors as Stocks Drop Dangerously Low
The National Health Service (NHS) is facing a critical shortage of blood donors, with officials warning that stocks have dropped to dangerously low levels following a cyber attack on London hospitals. According to The Daily Mail, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has issued an ‘amber alert’ over supply for hospitals, highlighting the urgent need for more donors to come forward.
The last year has been described as ‘challenging’ for blood stocks, with just two per cent of the population keeping the nation’s blood stocks afloat. This means that just under 800,000 people sustained the whole of England’s blood supply over the past 12 months, and NHSBT is now calling for one million more donors to meet demand. As The Daily Mail reports, NHSBT chief executive Dr Jo Farrar said: "There are many thousands of people who donate regularly and help us keep patients alive. Thank you. You are amazing. You keep the NHS going and save and transform thousands of lives a year."
The cyber attack on London hospitals, which occurred in July 2024, triggered the amber alert, and blood stocks have remained low ever since. Officials are particularly concerned about the shortage of O negative blood, which is needed for treatment in emergencies. There is also a need for more black donors, who are more likely to have specific blood types that can help treat people with sickle cell disease. As quoted in The Daily Mail, Dr Farrar added: "If we had a million regular donors, this would help keep our stocks healthy – you’d truly be one in a million. Please book an appointment today, experience how good it feels to save lives, and come and do it again in a few months."
The NHS is urging people to come forward and donate blood, particularly those with the universal blood type O negative. Two thirds of the blood collected is used to treat people who rely on blood transfusions, including those with cancer and blood conditions. One family, who has been affected by the shortage, is backing the campaign for more donors. Four-year-old Isaac Balmer, from Hull, was born with hereditary spherocytosis, a genetic blood condition that requires regular blood transfusions.
Isaac’s mother, Jasmin Suggit, a newborn hearing scanner at the hospital where Isaac receives his treatment, spoke to The Daily Mail about the importance of blood donations: "It’s been a rollercoaster; Isaac’s haemoglobin levels fluctuate, and when they drop significantly, he becomes lethargic and jaundiced. But when he receives his transfusion, you see the colour return to his cheeks, and his energy levels soar before our eyes. It is incredible." Suggit added that her son refers to donor blood as ‘Hulk blood’ and imagines himself becoming stronger and healthier, highlighting the impact that blood donations can have on patients’ lives.
Health Minister Baroness Merron has also weighed in on the issue, stating that the NHS is working alongside NHS Blood and Transplant to make donating blood easier than ever before. As reported by The Daily Mail, Baroness Merron said: "The NHS is in urgent need of more lifesaving blood donors from all backgrounds. We are working alongside NHS Blood and Transplant to make donating blood easier than ever before, opening up new donor centres and making appointments available closer to home."
The NHS is urging people to book an appointment to donate blood and help alleviate the shortage. With one million more donors needed to meet demand, it is clear that the public must come together to support this lifesaving cause. As The Daily Mail notes, NHSBT has seen a rise in the number of people who registered to be donors in the last year, but only 24 per cent of these have gone on to donate. The NHS is counting on the generosity of the public to help keep blood stocks healthy and ensure that patients like Isaac Balmer receive the treatment they need.
In conclusion, the NHS is facing a critical shortage of blood donors, and officials are urging people to come forward and donate. With one million more donors needed to meet demand, it is essential that the public responds to this call to action. By donating blood, individuals can help save and transform thousands of lives a year, and the NHS is counting on their generosity to keep blood stocks healthy.
(Source: The Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14792407/one-MILLION-blood-donors-stocks-drop-dangerously-low-reserves-struggled-recover-wake-NHS-cyber-attack-you-help.html)
