Blood donors urged to come forward as stocks run low

The NHS Blood Donation service has said stocks of some blood types have dropped to just three days supply, less than half of what is normal.

It said the current heatwave had been challenging with fewer people coming forward and said it needed at least 5,000 blood donors through its doors every day.

Mark Chambers, director of donor experience for NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) described the situation as urgent, adding: "Every donation can save up to three lives."

Marina Reid Martin, who was giving blood in Brighton for the first time, said: "It's a really important thing, it can save lives and it doesn't take much of my time."

The service highlighted a particular problem with certain blood groups.

Rob Schofield, area manager from Surrey and Sussex NHSBT, said: "It's the O negative, B negative blood group that we're really short of at the moment, so they're at about 3 and a half days stock."

Schofield said there was a particular need for donors from minority ethnic groups and black heritage groups.

"They tend to carry what we call the RO subtype and that helps all of our people that have the sickle cell deficiency.

"Unfortunately, if we can't get that blood from our black heritage donors, we have to use O negative."

Reid Martin said it had been at the back of her mind to donate blood.

"I'm mixed race, so I'm mixed with Jamaican and English. I understand it's very, very important for us in particular to give blood," she said.

NHSBT has 28 permanent donation centres across England, including Brighton, which serves the wider South East.

The centres work with mobile teams which collect blood at community venues.

The service supports trauma patients, people undergoing cancer treatment, mothers and babies during childbirth, and those living with long‑term conditions.

However, donated blood has a shelf life of just 35 days.

Anyone wishing to donate blood can sign up on the NHS Blood Donation website or use the app to register and book an appointment.

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