Scotland blood stock appeal after England supplies fall
- Published
People in blood groups O and A have been urged to donate
People in Scotland have been urged to donate blood after supplies in England fell to a critically-low level.
An amber alert is in force south of the border, however the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service said this was not the case in Scotland.
However, it is asking for more blood to increase its stocks.
A spokesman said only three out of eight blood groups met the targeted level of supply - but there are no plans to restrict clinical blood use.
People in blood groups O and A in particular have been urged to donate.
In Scotland the target for blood supply is five to seven days' worth in each blood group.
In England, the target is six days - but on Wednesday levels were due to fall below two days.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said a lack of staff to care for people giving blood was partly to blame,
Hospitals in England have been asked to limit their use of blood, although each hospital makes its own decisions about blood management and only non-urgent surgeries could be postponed.
Scotland centres impacted by pandemic
A statement on the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service's website said it was asking people to make a special effort to donate towards Scotland's stock.
It said: "We continue working with hospitals and their management of blood stocks is good. We are also working with our donor teams to increase blood collection.
"This will help to support forthcoming holidays and as we prepare for the World Cup, which we anticipate many donors will be watching, and the festive period."
The service said it was in particular need of new donors, reminding people they can give blood from age 17.
Since the pandemic, it said there had been an impact on the number of donors giving at donor centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Livingston, Glasgow and Inverness.
It added: "As many people have changed the way they work, or shop, we remind people that your local donor centre will have lots of appointments available.
"We'd also like to encourage work places to contact us to organise corporate group bookings, as life returns to normal post pandemic."
- Published12 October 2022
