Urgent call for south London blood donors amid 'slump' after bank holidays
NHS Blood and Transplant is asking South Londoners to help fill a donation shortfall caused by recent bank holidays.
There are hundreds of appointments available at Brixton Donor Centre, with 1,000 slots needing to be filled each week to meet demand.
The high number of bank holidays, combined with the start of the half-term break, has increased pressure on blood stocks.
The NHS is particularly keen to see new and lapsed donors return.
Brixton Donor Centre welcomes life-saving donors to South London (Image: NHS)
Gerry Gogarty, director of blood supply at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "The need for blood never stops.
"We are extremely grateful to everyone who has donated so far this year, but we must act now to avoid falling behind.
"To avoid facing a 'spring slump' in donations, we urgently need donors to book an appointment today – and help us fill appointments over the weeks ahead.
"If you can't find an appointment straightaway, please book further ahead or keep checking back to help fill last-minute availability or cancellations.
"Each donation has the power to save up to three lives."
There is a particular need for donors of black heritage to meet the growing need for blood to treat sickle cell, the country's fastest-growing inherited blood disorder, which predominantly affects black communities.
Black heritage donors are 10 times more likely than the white population to have the specific Ro blood type used to treat sickle cell patients.
Around 1,300 black donors a month are needed to provide life-saving transfusions to sickle cell patients, as well as for use in emergencies, childbirth, during surgery, cancer treatments, and other medical conditions.
Brixton Donor Centre, which opened in December 2024, has had 7 per cent of all donations with the in-demand Ro subtype, compared with 2 per cent nationally.
South Londoners with O negative, O positive and A positive blood types are also being encouraged to donate, as these blood groups are in high demand.
Brixton Blood Donor Centre manager Rexford Osei-Bonsu said: "I'm immensely proud of the thousands of people who have given blood in Brixton, but the holidays have meant that we need more people to come forward.
"Giving blood is easy and painless and takes about an hour of your time to make a life-saving difference."
Appointments can be made by calling 0300 123 2323 or visiting blood.co.uk.
"We have the capacity to deliver more than 1,000 appointments a week and are happy to work round your availability, whether that's on your way to work, during your lunch break or as you head home."
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