Latest news with #GiveBlood
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Donations of rare blood type 'urgently needed' in South East
The NHS has pleaded for donations of a rare blood type, saying supplies are at risk of "running low". Some 2,500 eligible B negative donors in the south-east of England have been asked by the health service to boost stocks, which are currently "under pressure". More people with this type of blood have also been urged by the NHS to come forward as donors. NHS director of blood supply Gerry Gogarty said: "B negative donors are immensely important to our lifesaving work... it can be a challenge to always collect enough." Supplies were at one of the lowest points in recent years due to a shrinking donor base - following a loss of 1,000 donors since 2023 - and recent high demand, the NHS two per cent of the population has B negative blood, making it one of the rarest types, according to the NHS. Patients with the B negative blood type can only receive B negative or O negative blood, meaning that low stocks can also strain emergency supplies of this other blood across England need more than 5,000 blood donations every day, the NHS supplies are needed for a wide variety of reasons, including traumatic injuries or accidents, cancer treatments, sickle cell and childbirth, it continued. Mr Gogarty urged potential donors to book an appointment, use the GiveBlood app or call 0300 123 23 23.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Who can and can't give blood, as NHS calls for donations
The NHS is calling for 200,000 new donors to come forward as it warns of a "challenging" blood supply shortage. Currently only 2% of the population – just under 800,000 people – supports the entire UK blood supply. Since last year, the health service has been on "amber alert" – meaning supplies have dwindled to the point that it may impact patient treatment. Now, experts are warning that things have turned "critical" and are nearing "red alert" status. Here, we take a look at the criteria for donating blood – as well as the most common blood types and how to sign up. According to Give Blood, the general criteria for donating is: That you are aged 17-65 You're generally fit and healthy You weigh between 7 stone 12 lbs and 25 stone You have suitable veins You meet all donor eligibility You cannot donate blood if: You've got some heart conditions, such as heart palpitations, abnormal heartbeat – or if you've had a heart attack, stroke, a heart bypass or you were born with a congenital heart defect You have tested positive for HIV You've had an organ transplant You have had most types of cancer You have received blood, platelets, plasma or any other blood products after 1 January 1980 You carry hepatitis B or C You've injected non-prescription drugs – including body-building and injectable tanning agents You may be asked to wait to donate blood if: You've given blood too recently – Providing you're otherwise eligible, men can give blood every 12 weeks and women can give blood every 16 weeks. You are pregnant or you've had a baby in the past six months – You will not be permitted to give blood while pregnant. Nor can you donate blood if you had a blood transfusion during your pregnancy or delivery. If you are trying to conceive it is not recommended, as you'll require all iron stores if/when you do fall pregnant. Once you have passed the six-month post-delivery mark, you may be able to donate blood. You've recently got a tattoo or a piercing – Although most tattoo and piercing parlours offer safe services, the introduction of a foreign object to the body still carries risk, and so to protect the recipient of the blood, donors must wait for four months after having a tattoo of piercing before they can give blood. This includes microblading or semi-permanent make-up, as well as acupuncture. You feel ill at the time of donation – It's common for donors to feel faint or anxious before, during and after the procedure, but if you are feeling unwell you must flag ahead of time, as it is important that you do not carry any infection at the time of donating. In order to donate, you must be healed and recovered from an infection for at least 14 days prior. You're undergoing medical assessment – Similarly, if you are undergoing medical tests and assessments, you may have to wait before you donate blood. You travel to and from certain countries outside of the UK – You can check whether your travels impact your eligibility to give blood here. You've had a new sexual partner in the past three months – Regardless of gender, if you've had anal sex with a new partner in the past three months, you might not be able to give blood. Similarly, if you finished taking Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) in the last three months, you'll have to wait. You've had sexual contact with a partner who is – HIV positive, HTLV positive, carries hepatitis B or C, syphilis positive, has injected non-prescribed drugs, has received money or drugs for sex. You will need to wait at least three months. If you have any health conditions or you're on medication, you can check your eligibility at the NHS Give Blood website here. O positive is the most common blood type, accounting for roughly 35% of donors. It's followed by blood type A positive, with around 30% of donors falling into this category. The rarest, meanwhile, is AB negative, with just 1% of donors falling into this category. If you would like to sign up to donate blood or plasma, you can do so at the Give Blood website here. You can also call them on 0300 123 23 23. The NHS site also outlines which donor centres have availability today – you can check here. Some sites also welcome walk-ins. You can find your nearest centre here. Read more about health 10 foods that may reduce your risk of developing dementia (Yahoo Life UK 7-min read) 7 myths and truths about inducing labour, from dancing to spicy food (Yahoo Life UK 6-min read) Are nicotine pouches as bad as vaping and smoking? (Yahoo life UK. 6-min read)
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Who can and can't give blood, as NHS calls for donations
The NHS is calling for 200,000 new donors to come forward as it warns of a "challenging" blood supply shortage. Currently only 2% of the population – just under 800,000 people – supports the entire UK blood supply. Since last year, the health service has been on "amber alert" – meaning supplies have dwindled to the point that it may impact patient treatment. Now, experts are warning that things have turned "critical" and are nearing "red alert" status. Here, we take a look at the criteria for donating blood – as well as the most common blood types and how to sign up. According to Give Blood, the general criteria for donating is: That you are aged 17-65 You're generally fit and healthy You weigh between 7 stone 12 lbs and 25 stone You have suitable veins You meet all donor eligibility You cannot donate blood if: You've got some heart conditions, such as heart palpitations, abnormal heartbeat – or if you've had a heart attack, stroke, a heart bypass or you were born with a congenital heart defect You have tested positive for HIV You've had an organ transplant You have had most types of cancer You have received blood, platelets, plasma or any other blood products after 1 January 1980 You carry hepatitis B or C You've injected non-prescription drugs – including body-building and injectable tanning agents You may be asked to wait to donate blood if: You've given blood too recently – Providing you're otherwise eligible, men can give blood every 12 weeks and women can give blood every 16 weeks. You are pregnant or you've had a baby in the past six months – You will not be permitted to give blood while pregnant. Nor can you donate blood if you had a blood transfusion during your pregnancy or delivery. If you are trying to conceive it is not recommended, as you'll require all iron stores if/when you do fall pregnant. Once you have passed the six-month post-delivery mark, you may be able to donate blood. You've recently got a tattoo or a piercing – Although most tattoo and piercing parlours offer safe services, the introduction of a foreign object to the body still carries risk, and so to protect the recipient of the blood, donors must wait for four months after having a tattoo of piercing before they can give blood. This includes microblading or semi-permanent make-up, as well as acupuncture. You feel ill at the time of donation – It's common for donors to feel faint or anxious before, during and after the procedure, but if you are feeling unwell you must flag ahead of time, as it is important that you do not carry any infection at the time of donating. In order to donate, you must be healed and recovered from an infection for at least 14 days prior. You're undergoing medical assessment – Similarly, if you are undergoing medical tests and assessments, you may have to wait before you donate blood. You travel to and from certain countries outside of the UK – You can check whether your travels impact your eligibility to give blood here. You've had a new sexual partner in the past three months – Regardless of gender, if you've had anal sex with a new partner in the past three months, you might not be able to give blood. Similarly, if you finished taking Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) in the last three months, you'll have to wait. You've had sexual contact with a partner who is – HIV positive, HTLV positive, carries hepatitis B or C, syphilis positive, has injected non-prescribed drugs, has received money or drugs for sex. You will need to wait at least three months. If you have any health conditions or you're on medication, you can check your eligibility at the NHS Give Blood website here. O positive is the most common blood type, accounting for roughly 35% of donors. It's followed by blood type A positive, with around 30% of donors falling into this category. The rarest, meanwhile, is AB negative, with just 1% of donors falling into this category. If you would like to sign up to donate blood or plasma, you can do so at the Give Blood website here. You can also call them on 0300 123 23 23. The NHS site also outlines which donor centres have availability today – you can check here. Some sites also welcome walk-ins. You can find your nearest centre here. Read more about health 10 foods that may reduce your risk of developing dementia (Yahoo Life UK 7-min read) 7 myths and truths about inducing labour, from dancing to spicy food (Yahoo Life UK 6-min read) Are nicotine pouches as bad as vaping and smoking? (Yahoo life UK. 6-min read)
Powys County Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
NHS calls for a million blood donors as stocks run low
The NHS needs one million regular blood donors to maintain its blood supply, officials have said. Low blood stocks prompted officials to issue an 'amber alert' over supply for hospitals last year and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said that more must be done to avoid a 'red alert', which means that blood supply is so low that there is a threat to public safety. Officials described the last year as 'challenging' for blood stocks, highlighting how just 2% of the population keep the nation's blood stocks afloat. This means just under 800,000 people sustained the whole of England's blood supply over the past 12 months and NHSBT said one million donors are needed to meet demand. NHSBT said that there has been a rise in the number of people who registered to be donors in the last year, but only 24% of these have gone on to donate. The amber alert was triggered in July 2024 after a cyber attack on London hospitals. And blood stocks have remained low ever since, officials said. It said there is a 'critical' need for more donors who have the so-called universal blood type – 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 which can help treat people with sickle cell disease. O negative is the only blood type that can be used in emergencies when there's no time to check a patient's type. But right now, stocks are running low. Please book now and help us continue providing lifesaving blood to patients in need. ➡️ #GiveBlood — Give Blood NHS 🩸🩹 (@GiveBloodNHS) May 23, 2025 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. 'Our stocks over the past 12 months have been challenging. 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.' Two thirds of the blood collected is used to treat people who rely on blood transfusions including people with cancer and those with blood conditions. One family is backing the campaign for more donors due to their own experience receiving regular blood transfusions. Four-year-old Isaac Balmer, from Hull, was born with hereditary spherocytosis – a genetic blood condition which causes red blood cells to break down faster than normal, leading to severe anaemia and other complications. He receives blood transfusions every 12 weeks. His mother Jasmin Suggit, a newborn hearing scanner at the hospital where Isaac receives his treatment, said: '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. 'During his transfusions, he refers to donor blood as 'Hulk blood' and imagines himself becoming stronger and healthier, but this wouldn't be possible without the real life, everyday superheroes who keep Isaac and others like him alive, thanks to their regular blood donations.' Health Minister 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.'
North Wales Chronicle
09-06-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
NHS calls for a million blood donors as stocks run low
Low blood stocks prompted officials to issue an 'amber alert' over supply for hospitals last year and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said that more must be done to avoid a 'red alert', which means that blood supply is so low that there is a threat to public safety. Officials described the last year as 'challenging' for blood stocks, highlighting how just 2% of the population keep the nation's blood stocks afloat. This means just under 800,000 people sustained the whole of England's blood supply over the past 12 months and NHSBT said one million donors are needed to meet demand. NHSBT said that there has been a rise in the number of people who registered to be donors in the last year, but only 24% of these have gone on to donate. The amber alert was triggered in July 2024 after a cyber attack on London hospitals. And blood stocks have remained low ever since, officials said. It said there is a 'critical' need for more donors who have the so-called universal blood type – 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 which can help treat people with sickle cell disease. O negative is the only blood type that can be used in emergencies when there's no time to check a patient's type. But right now, stocks are running low. Please book now and help us continue providing lifesaving blood to patients in need. ➡️ — Give Blood NHS 🩸🩹 (@GiveBloodNHS) May 23, 2025 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. 'Our stocks over the past 12 months have been challenging. 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.' Two thirds of the blood collected is used to treat people who rely on blood transfusions including people with cancer and those with blood conditions. One family is backing the campaign for more donors due to their own experience receiving regular blood transfusions. Four-year-old Isaac Balmer, from Hull, was born with hereditary spherocytosis – a genetic blood condition which causes red blood cells to break down faster than normal, leading to severe anaemia and other complications. He receives blood transfusions every 12 weeks. His mother Jasmin Suggit, a newborn hearing scanner at the hospital where Isaac receives his treatment, said: '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. 'During his transfusions, he refers to donor blood as 'Hulk blood' and imagines himself becoming stronger and healthier, but this wouldn't be possible without the real life, everyday superheroes who keep Isaac and others like him alive, thanks to their regular blood donations.' Health Minister 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.'
