Latest news with #SaveaLife
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Learner drivers will answer new questions in theory test from 2026
From next year, driving theory tests will include new CPR questions and, for the first time, questions about defibrillators. Learner drivers will face some new questions in their theory tests from next year, it has been announced. The questions will be enhanced first aid questions building on existing first aid content that has been part of driver education for years. Those sitting the test will now study content on enhanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the first time. The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) hopes it will boost cardiac arrest survival rates. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the government agency said: "DVSA is proud to introduce CPR and defibrillator questions to theory tests. There are over 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests yearly – would you know how to help? From autumn 2025, car and motorcycle theory test candidates will need to familiarise themselves with: CPR techniques including proper hand placement and compression rates how to use automated external defibrillators The questions will be added to other theory test types later. The knowledge builds on existing first aid content in driving education materials. Official DVSA learning guides for car drivers have already been updated with improved information about these life-saving techniques. The enhanced questions is part of a collaboration between DVSA and leading organisations including Save a Life programmes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, plus Resuscitation Council UK. James Cant, Chief Executive Officer of Resuscitation Council UK, said: "By embedding these life-saving skills into such a widely taken assessment, we can help ensure that more people gain the knowledge and confidence to act during a cardiac arrest." Mark Winn, DVSA Chief Driving Examiner, added: "Learning CPR and how to use an AED is a very simple skill and adding this into the official learning resource is a great way for DVSA to support the drive to raise awareness." Signs and symptoms that suggest a person has gone into cardiac arrest include: they appear not to be breathing they're not moving they do not respond to any stimulation, such as being touched or spoken to Drivers are often first on the scene when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Data from Resuscitation Council UK shows more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK each year, but fewer than 1 in 10 people currently survive. However, when CPR is given and an AED used within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse, survival rates can reach 70 per cent. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%, making immediate bystander intervention crucial while waiting for emergency services. Common scenarios where drivers might need CPR skills include road traffic accidents, roadside emergencies and service area incidents. The new questions will test practical knowledge that could save lives. Examples include: An adult casualty is not breathing. To maintain circulation, CPR should be given. What's the correct depth to press down on their chest? 1 to 2 centimetres 5 to 6 centimetres (correct answer) 10 to 15 centimetres 15 to 20 centimetres Who can use a public access defibrillator (AED)? Paramedics only First aiders only Doctors only Everyone (correct answer) The driving theory test is taken by learner drivers before they can book their driving test. The test has 2 parts that are booked and taken together. It includes 50 multiple choice questions from a bank of more than 700 covering topics from road signs and vehicle safety to hazard awareness. The pass rate is 43 out of 50 correct. It also includes hazard perception in the form of a video test about spotting hazards on the road. Both parts must be passed to pass the overall test. The DVSA said around 2.4 million theory tests are taken each year, with a pass rate of 45.7% between July and September 2024. This means that hundreds of thousands of people annually will gain knowledge of life-saving skills through the enhanced questions.
Daily Mirror
10-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Widow's appeal after 'fit and vibrant' husband fell suddenly ill with leukaemia
Lorna Newbrook says: 'It was incomprehensible that something like this could happen. Mike was a 6ft 4in policeman in the riot squad... he was one of life's good guys' A grieving wife has launched a campaign to encourage people to give blood in memory of her husband. Lorna Newbrook's husband Mike, a Met police officer, died last July aged 46 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Lorna says the frequent blood transfusions Mike received extended his life by 16 months, enabling him to make precious memories with their sons Joseph, seven, and six-year-old Lucas. More than 200 friends and family members have already donated a 'Pint for Mike' and Lorna now hopes to inspire the wider public to join them. It comes after the Mirror revealed the worst ever NHS blood shortage has come to an end. The Mirror today reveals her inspiring appeal as part of our Give a Pint, Save a Life campaign. Lorna has filmed an appeal video with NHS Blood and Transplant also featuring England rugby captain Maro Itoje and TV presenter Michaela Strachan. Lorna, 42, from Orpington, Kent, said: "Mike and I had been together since I was 25 and we were so happy. With our boys, we had everything we could wish for. But in early 2023 Mike noticed something was wrong. "He kept getting infections and one day while putting fences up in the garden he became unusually breathless. A blood test showed he was very anaemic and needed an immediate blood transfusion. Leukaemia was confirmed the next day. "It was incomprehensible that something like this could happen. Mike was fit and vibrant, a 6ft 4in policeman. He was in the riot squad and had served in the Navy. He was one of life's good guys. "The leukaemia was an incredibly aggressive kind, and Mike lost three stone and all his hair. Without blood transfusions he wouldn't have lived beyond his diagnosis. He received more than 100 units of blood products to help his body cope with the chemotherapy, and I will be forever indebted to those donors.' The NHS has recently stood down its worst ever blood shortage. The NHS leadership last month wrote to hospital bosses to stand down its longest ever Amber Alert which has been in place due to dangerously low blood stocks for almost a year. However NHS chiefs insist a blood donation only lasts for about a month and so a constant supply of regular donors is essential for the health service. Lorna said: "It has been a year since we lost Mike, so the timing is poignant. But it feels the right time to share his story with a wider audience to shine a light on the lifechanging power of blood donation. "I have pledged to do a skydive when we reach 1,000 pints and I'm hopeful the campaign will continue to grow and reach many milestones beyond that." "The NHS needs regular donors so once people have donated their 'pint' I hope they become donors for life and go on to save and improve even more lives. That would be the most wonderful legacy for Mike." Lorna, a former deputy headteacher who works in education, is encouraging young people to start donating at 17 to help replace those who are too old or can no longer donate for medical reasons. She has created an educational resource pack to take the blood donation message directly to high school students. Lorna said: "After Mike died I knew I had to do something positive in his memory and encouraging people to give blood felt right. I started by asking friends and family on social media to give a 'pint' in Mike's name and it grew from there. Young people are eligible to donate from age 17 but very few do. I think we need a cultural shift. It is important because young people are the donors of the future." Most available blood donation slots are at larger town and city centres. NHS Blood and Transplant says it has 55,000 appointments to fill at donor centres in England over the next six weeks. To register as a blood donor with the NHS you can sign up online through the NHS Give Blood website or by downloading the NHS Give Blood app. You can also sign up by calling 0300 123 23 23. Once registered, you can book your appointment online, through the app or by calling.
Daily Mirror
03-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Blood donors needed after worst ever shortage - see appointments in your area
NHS Blood and Transplant shows all regional donor centres in England which need people to come forward to Give a Pint - Save a Life, and you can see all available appointments here The worst ever NHS blood shortage has come to an end in a major win for the Mirror 's Give a Pint, Save a Life campaign. The NHS has written to hospital bosses to stand down its longest ever Amber Alert which has been in place due to dangerously low blood stocks for almost a year. It comes after the Mirror issued an urgent appeal on our front page last month to recruit thousands more donors as the NHS was on the cusp of its a first ever Red Alert. This would have meant routine transfusions including for cancer patients and for women after childbirth to aid recovery would be halted. The following week 100,000 people booked appointments and 29,000 new donors signed up. Gerry Gogarty, Director of Supply at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: 'A huge thank you to the Daily Mirror and all your readers who have consistently championed the importance of blood donation, helping to fill appointments, recruit new donors and boost vital blood stocks at a time it was really needed by hospitals across the country. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has come forward to give blood and help us stand down the shortage alert.' The NHS needs 5,000 donations each day to meet the needs of patients. This way it maintains six days' supply of blood stocks at any time to deal with sudden surges in demand for lifesaving transfusions. An Amber Alert was issued in July 2024 after the health service in England dipped below three days' supply and this has only now been lifted. The only previous NHS Amber Alert lasted just a month in October 2022. A Red Alert would have meant less than one day's blood stocks are available and must be prioritised for immediately life threatening cases. It would have meant demand far exceeds capacity, threatening public safety and causing widespread surgery postponements. Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton said: 'This is fantastic news and an important reminder of what we can achieve when we come together. I am grateful to everyone who stood up and did their part – from the 29,000 new donors to NHS staff for their incredible work. But our work isn't over. Blood only lasts 35 days so we need people to keep up momentum and donate regularly all year round. "Every donation saves lives. If you can donate blood, please make it a regular habit - the NHS depends on it and so do patients across the country." The Mirror launched the Give a Pint, Save a Life campaign and has published a series of high profile stories to help blood stocks recover after the Covid-19 pandemic. Donations fell in part due to changing habits as more people work from home since the pandemic. Hospitals have also supported the effort by better managing use of blood - particularly more targeted use of O negative red cells. O Negative is the universal blood type that can be given to anyone in an emergency. Just 8% of the population have it but it accounts for 15% of the blood used in hospitals. The Government has written to all NHS trust chief executives to ask them to continue this best practice developed over the last 12 months and to minimise wastage to help ensure the security of the nation's blood stocks. The amber alert was triggered in part due to a major cyber-attack last year on Synnovis - the pathology service provider for several major London hospitals - which severely disrupted blood testing services. It meant some hospitals could not match blood in the usual way leading to over-use of limited O-negative blood stocks. Most available blood donation slots are at larger town and city centres but in the last year the NHS has increased the number of appointments available at community venues such as village churches. It has also opened new permanent donor centres in Brixton and Southampton. It will open another in Brighton next month. NHS Blood and Transplant says it has 55,000 appointments to fill at donor centres in England over the next six weeks. Number of blood donation appointments available and where Manchester (2 centres) - 4,303 Bristol - 3,108 Birmingham - 2,878 Cambridge - 2,749 Newcastle - 2,381 Leeds - 2,353 Nottingham - 2,089 Leicester - 1,802 Sheffield - 1,648 Plymouth - 1,490 Luton - 1,297 Southampton - 1,268 Bradford - 1,026 Liverpool - 972 Lancaster - 500 Brixton, London - 5,500 West End, London - 4,955 Shepherds Bush, London - 3,800 Stratford, London - 3,400 Tooting, London - 3,186 Edgware, London - 2,245 Twickenham, London - 1,433 The NHS has also introduced more accurate iron testing to reduce the number of donors turned away due to low haemoglobin levels. Duncan Burton, the Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: 'Blood donations can be life-saving for patients so I want to thank everyone who generously came forward to give blood over the past year, helping ensure we have enough to help those in need. But our work isn't finished - the NHS needs a constant flow of donations to provide people with the best possible care. So I'd encourage anyone who can donate to do so. Giving one pint will save or improve the lives of three people.' NHS Blood and Transplant says stocks are expected to remain stable over the next month with the mid-term outlook suggesting stocks could grow. However traditionally fewer people donate blood in the summer months and if demand from hospitals increases an Amber Alert could be reintroduced. To register as a blood donor with the NHS you can sign up online through the NHS Give Blood website or by downloading the NHS Give Blood app. You can also sign up by calling 0300 123 23 23. Once registered, you can book your appointment online, through the app or by calling.
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Huge surge in blood donations as NHS faces Red Alert and dangerously low stocks
Mirror appeal sparks 100,000 blood donations to stop routine operations having to be cancelled due to NHS shortages More than 100,000 appointments to give blood were booked in the week after the Mirror spearheaded an urgent appeal for donations. Our front page last week revealed a million people need to give blood to avoid a first ever Red Alert as the NHS struggles with dangerously low stocks. NHS Blood and Transplant said it is going through its worst ever shortage and around 200,000 more donors are needed in England to stabilise blood supply. Routine transfusions for cancer patients and women after childbirth which aid recovery are among those which may be halted if a Red Alert is declared. In the week after the appeal over 29,000 people registered as new blood donors and over 100,000 appointments were booked. Gerry Gogarty, Director of Blood Supply, said: "We are extremely grateful to the support of the Daily Mirror which played a significant part in generating this response from so many thousands of people across the country. 'We are so grateful for the response we have seen from new and existing donors across the country over this past week. Over 29,000 new donors registered and 100,000 booked appointments is an incredible response. 'However, with 50,000 appointments in need of filling each week, we urge people not to lose this momentum. As we head into the summer, we still have many appointments available to book – with 50,000 donor centre appointments still available over the next six weeks.' A Red Alert would mean less than one day's blood stocks are available and must be prioritised for immediately life threatening cases. The NHS aims to have six days' stock at any one time but currently has around three days' supply. It comes after the Mirror launched the Give a Pint, Save a Life campaign to help blood stocks recover after the Covid-19 pandemic amid ongoing shortages. One donation can save up to three lives. The NHS remains in its longest ever Amber Alert for low blood stocks which was declared last July. Red Alert which would mean demand far exceeds capacity, threatening public safety and causing widespread surgery postponements. Donations have been falling in part due to changing habits as more people work from home since the pandemic. Most available donation slots are at larger town and city centres. Of the 29,000 people who registered last week, 1,000 were from a Black heritage background. This is crucial because sickle cell disease is the country's fastest growing inherited blood disorder and it disproportionately affects Black African and Black Caribbean communities. Around 250 babies a year are born with the condition in the UK over 13,000 sickle cell patients currently rely on regular blood transfusions. The best matched blood will often come from donors of the same ethnicity. The NHS needs around 250 donations per day from Black heritage donors in order to meet current need and demand continues to grow. Mr Gogarty said: 'While we have seen a great response to our calls for more Black heritage donors to sign up to become blood donors, there remains an urgent need for more to register and give, as the demand for blood continues to grow.' Sickle cell disease is when red blood cells are sickle shaped rather than circular. This leads to agonising blockages that damage organs and can lead to blindness or a fatal stroke. These sickle cell 'crises' are so painful that more severely affected patients can be prescribed morphine - more typically given during end of life care - just to get them through the day. NHS Blood and Transplant needs over 17,000 regular donors of Black heritage to help meet growing demand for sickle cell patients. More than half of donors of Black heritage are likely to have the Ro blood type, compared with just 2.4% of other ethnicities. Aliya Gladyng from Sydenham, relies on regular six-weekly blood transfusions to help manage her sickle cell disease. She said: 'As an exchange patient, I receive blood transfusions every six weeks. Each time, I have eight units taken out of my body and eight more units of donated blood put back in. This means I need around 70 bags of blood every year. Please donate blood. You really have no idea how much it helps people like me.' The NHS needs over 5,000 blood donations every day - or around 1.8 million a year in England. This requires around one million donors who regularly donate to help maintain a reliable blood supply. Mr Gogarty added: 'We very much hope that people who have registered, booked or donated for the first time over this past week, will become regular donors to help stabilise blood stocks and more people will continue to keep coming forward to help us save more lives in the future.' To register as a blood donor with the NHS you can sign up online through the NHS Give Blood website or by downloading the NHS Give Blood app. You can also sign up by calling 0300 123 23 23. Once registered, you can book your appointment online, through the app or by calling.
Daily Mirror
08-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
NHS could issue first ever 'Red Alert' for blood donations as stocks run low
NHS says transfusions for cancer patients and women after childbirth are among those which may be halted if a Red Alert is declared for the first time ever as the service struggles with low stocks A million people need to give blood to avoid a first ever Red Alert as the NHS struggles with dangerously low stocks. NHS Blood and Transplant says it is going through its worst ever shortage and around 200,000 more donors are needed in England to stabilise blood supply. Routine transfusions for cancer patients and women after childbirth which aid recovery are among those which may be halted if a Red Alert is declared. This would mean less than one day's blood stocks are available and must be prioritised for immediately life threatening cases. The NHS aims to have six days' stock at any one time. Currently 785,000 people - or 2% of the population - are keeping the nation's blood stocks afloat. The NHS is asking more people to give blood regularly and tackle the crisis with 'the country's largest volunteering force'. Health Minister Baroness Merron said: 'I am extremely grateful to the many thousands of people who donate regularly – the blood you donate saves people's lives, from mothers in maternity wards to victims of car crashes. However the NHS is in urgent need of more lifesaving blood donors from all backgrounds.' It comes after the Mirror launched the Give a Pint, Save a Life campaign to help blood stocks recover after the Covid-19 pandemic amid ongoing shortages. One donation can save up to three lives. The NHS remains in its longest ever Amber Alert for low blood stocks which was declared last July. Red Alert which would mean demand far exceeds capacity, threatening public safety and causing widespread surgery postponements at hospitals nationwide. The shortages are due in part to changing habits as more people work from home since the Covid-19 pandemic. Most available donation slots are at larger town and city centres. NHSBT chief executive Dr Jo Farrar said: 'There are many thousands of people who donate regularly and help us keep patients alive. 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." Isaac and his 'Hulk blood' The NHS is calling for a million donor superheroes to start giving blood to help keep people like Hulk fan Isaac Balmer alive. Isaac, aged four, needs his regular supply of 'Hulk blood' every 12 weeks to keep him strong and healthy. The youngster from Hull was born with Hereditary Spherocytosis, which is a genetic blood condition which causes fragile red blood cells to break down faster than normal leading to severe anaemia and other complications. Mum Jasmin Suggit said: "During his transfusions, he refers to donor blood as 'Hulk blood' and imagines himself becoming stronger and healthier. She said: '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. 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.' Two thirds of all the blood currently collected by the NHS is used to treat patients who rely on blood transfusions, including cancer and life-long blood conditions. Isaac receives transfusions every three months at Hull Royal Infirmary where mum Jasmin works in the newborn screening team. Jasmin said: "Until you're one of those who need blood yourself or know someone who does, it may not always be a priority. But Isaac's journey has put things into perspective and his journey has inspired me to become a blood donor myself. It's a small act that can make a big difference in someone's life." There are currently between two and three days' of blood stocks available to the NHS but rates of donations have been falling. There are 55,000 unfilled appointment slots in the next six weeks. The 'active donor base' - which refers to donors who have given blood in the last 12 months - stood at 785,000 at last count in April. This is down from 800,000 before the pandemic in 2020. The NHS needs over 5,000 blood donations every day - or around 1.8 million a year in England. This requires around one million donors who regularly donate to help maintain a reliable blood supply. NHSBT's blood director Gerry Gogarty said: 'Blood stocks are critically low and there's a pressing need to avoid a Red Alert. We can do this if we fill the available appointment slots – particularly in town and city centres. That could have a severe impact on the NHS with non-urgent services potentially being paused to focus on the most critical needs.' There is a critical need for O negative donors – the universal blood type compatible with anyone and used in emergencies. Just 8% of the population have O negative blood but it accounts for 15% of the blood used by hospitals and first responders. There is also an increasing need for donors of Black heritage as around 50% have a blood subtype called Ro, which is used primarily to treat people with sickle cell disease. This is the country's fastest growing genetic blood disorder and patients require regular transfusions to prevent agonising and life threatening blockages. Last year England saw an increased wave of blood donation registrations – including the largest ever increase in registrations from Black heritage communities. However only one in four have gone on to donate, with a quarter of a million people who signed up yet to roll up their sleeves to make a lifesaving donation. Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS Co-National Medical Director, said: 'Regular blood donors provide a lifeline for patients across the NHS, and I'd like to thank them for their incredible generosity. Donating blood is a powerful way you can make a meaningful difference to people's lives, so I'd encourage anyone considering becoming a donor to please come forward to help stabilise blood stocks as we near a critical low – you could help save someone's life.' What would a Red Alert mean? The Red Alert has never before been used but is designed to help the NHS save and improve as many lives as possible. Routine procedures which require blood will be postponed so stocks are preserved for patients with life threatening haemorrhages, emergency operations such as heart surgery which cannot be delayed for 24 hours and patients who need a lifesaving transfusion due to illness. NHS Blood and Transplant will declare a Red Alert for blood stocks if there is a severe shortage of red cells. There are two levels of Red alert, dependent on the number of days of stock available. 'Red B' is between 0.5 and 1.0 days' supply of stock; 'Red A' is less than 0.5 days' supply of stock. The appeal comes just before the one year anniversary of the Amber Alert being in place across England and at the start of National Blood Week. NHSBT chief executive Dr Jo Farrar added: "Please book an appointment today, experience how good it feels to save lives, and come and do it again in a few months.'
