NHS calls national blood shortage amber alert

Donor at session holding a blood donation bag A perfect storm of increased demand of O type blood from hospitals following the recent cyber attack which has impacted London hospitals and reduced collections due to high levels of unfilled appointments at donor centres in town and city centres, has caused stocks of blood to drop to unprecedentedly low levels.

NHS Blood and Transplant has written to hospitals today to issue an “Amber Alert” asking them to restrict the use of O type blood to essential cases and use substitutions where clinically safe to do so. O negative and O positive donors are asked to urgently book and fill appointments at donor centres.

Today, national stocks of O Negative are 1.6 days and overall national stocks of blood across all types is 4.3 days. On average, there are around 50,000 appointments to fill each week. There are over 12,000 appointments still to fill in donor centres over the next two weeks.

An Amber Alert is an important part of the NHS’s business continuity plan for blood stocks. It triggers hospitals being able to:

implement their emergency measures to minimise usage;
move staff to laboratories to vet the use of all O type blood; and
use patient blood management systems to minimise use of O type blood.

What is O Negative blood?

Why is there a shortage?

The ongoing cyber incident which has affected London hospitals has impacted O negative stocks. Since the start of the incident in June, those hospitals have needed an additional 1.7 days of O negative – a 94 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and equating to 170 additional O negative donations every week.

Summer is always a more challenging time for getting people in to donate blood – big public sporting events can see a reduction in people booking in to donate, holidays and travel abroad can also reduce availability, while changeable weather and unexpectedly hot days can see an increase in people unable to give blood due to a lack of hydration or lower iron levels in their blood.

Hospitals will continue to carry out urgent, emergency or trauma surgery, cancer surgery, transplant surgery and blood transfusions to treat people with long term conditions.

NHSBT runs 235 mobile sessions a week in community venues which are regularly close to fully booked. Sessions in the 25 donor centres have a higher number of appointments available. To supply hospitals with the 1.5 million units of blood they need to treat patients, appointments need to be close to fully booked all year round.

Statements

Statement from Dr Jo Farrar, NHSBT Chief Executive

“We urgently need more O group donors to come forward and help boost stocks to treat patients needing treatment. Last month we saw an incredible response from donors who answered our call and filled up our centres, helping us meet the increased demands for blood throughout June. However, seven weeks on, the need for O negative blood in particular remains critical.”

“We’re making an additional 1000 appointments per week available, please take a moment to go online and book. If you can’t find an appointment immediately, please book in for coming days, weeks and months. We will have an ongoing need for donations. Thank you everyone for your support.”

Statement from Dr Gail Miflin, NHSBT Chief Medical Officer

“Three blood donations are needed every minute in hospitals to deal with emergencies, childbirth and routine treatments. Blood only has a shelf life of 35 days so the NHS needs blood all year round.

“There are just under 800,000 regular blood donors, 108,000 of whom are O Negative. Ultimately, we need more people to be regular blood donors and come to one of our 25 donor centres. Women can donate once every four months and men can donate once every three months.”

Statement from Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director England

“We’re seeing an increased demand for blood and shortages of stock so it’s important that donors come forward for appointments.”

“With thanks to regular blood donors across the country, hospitals will continue to access stock when necessary and prioritise it for those who need it most.”

“Patients should also continue to come forward for care if they need it – by using 999 in a life-threatening emergency or otherwise using 111 on the NHS App, online or by phone for other health concerns.”