Yorkshire blood donations 'urgently' needed amid shortages

Yorkshire's main blood holding unit only has three and a half days instead of the usual six days of stocks

Blood donations are "urgently" needed in Yorkshire because of shortages caused by Covid-19.

Staff and donor illness linked to rising cases were the main reasons for falling blood stocks, the NHS said.

Donations are most needed in Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford centres, with O-positive, O-negative, and B-negative blood types "particularly urgent".

The NHS said donations were also traditionally lower in summer when people were away on holiday.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which provides blood donation services for England and organ donation for the UK, said backlogs caused by the pandemic meant hospitals were requesting more blood than was being donated.

NHS Blood and Transplant co-ordinates tissue, stem cell and cord blood donations as well as blood and organs, and said the service is essential to the NHS

Mark Chambers, of NHSBT, said blood was used by patients with cancer, blood disorders, medical trauma or undergoing surgery and each donation could save or improve up to three lives.

"We urgently need more people to give blood at our Yorkshire donor centres," he said.

"Every appointment counts."

The blood stock holding unit in Barnsley, which serves much of Yorkshire, only has three and a half days instead of the usual six days of blood, the NHS said, and while hospitals were still being supplied with all the blood they needed it was essential to halt the decline in stocks before summer.

Donation appointments can be made at city centre venues which have unfilled appointments by calling 0300 123 23 23 or visiting the Give Blood website.