Latest news with #NHSBloodAndTransplant
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Plea to plasma donors as Reading centre moves
A plasma donation centre has urged people to continue to donate as it moves to a new temporary NHS plasma donor centre has opened at Reading Bridge House - a mile away from its original location in the town.A new permanent centre is due to open next Rashid, assistant director for plasma operations at NHS Blood and Transplant, said the "support and commitment" from donors in the area was "amazing". Plasma is used to produce lifesaving medicines which are vital for patients with a wide range of conditions, including immune deficiencies, burns and liver opening in April 2021, more than 4,470 people have become Reading centre has the largest number of plasma donors out of the three dedicated centres in England, the NHS April 2024 and March 2025 it collected more than 8,668 litres of Rashid said: "We are grateful for all the support we have received from all our local donors and encourage everyone to please continue to donate plasma at the temporary centre until our permanent centre is open."We also encourage new people to think about donating plasma for the first time... your support is crucial to help us save and improve lives."Matt Rodda, MP for Reading Central, said: "I would like to thank the hardworking staff and the generous donors who have made the Reading Plasma Donor Centre such a success." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire blood donors frustrated by lack of appointments
People in Shropshire have said they are "very frustrated" by a campaign for more blood donors, as they are finding it near-impossible to find somewhere to donate themselves. It comes as the NHS warned it continued to face a "challenging" blood shortage, and called for 200,000 new donors to sign from Wellington is close to donating 100 pints of blood, but said she "just can't see [the milestone] happening" as she cannot find anywhere nearby to donate. NHS Blood and Transplant said it still hosted donation sessions in Shrewsbury and Telford, offering around 5,600 appointments per year. There are 27 permanent donor centres in England, including seven in London alone and two in the West Midlands - Birmingham and NHS's Give Blood website encourages potential donors to book appointments for these Birmingham centre is closed on Sundays, and the Stoke facility does not open at all at the weekend. Some would-be donors from Shropshire, particularly those with full-time jobs, have told the BBC this makes it difficult to donate. 'A bit miffed' "I've been a blood donor for years and years," Ann, who did not want her surname to be used, told BBC Radio Shropshire. She added that she previously donated blood regularly in Shifnal and Telford before sessions were cut. "I just can't get an appointment locally," she said, noting that her last two appointments had been cancelled last-minute. "I feel a bit miffed, basically."Ann added that she felt "a bit annoyed" by the new calls for more donors when regular donors like her were unable to get appointments. Peter Williams, from Waters Upton, recalled the ease of donating blood when he was an apprentice at GKN Sankey in Telford in 1970."The blood wagons used to come round - seven-and-a-half tonne vans they were," he recalled."They'd set up in the ballroom with 50 or 60 beds [...] Hundreds of [workers] must have gone through there each day."Mr Williams noted that he "doesn't know any blood donors" in Shropshire anymore. Jeff Lawrence from Shrewsbury said he was keen to donate blood as "quite a few people have probably helped me in the past, and I'd like to repay the favour.""There aren't many places you're able to give blood, unfortunately."Mr Lawrence said he wants to see more local places made available for donating blood."Less places means less donations, and less donations for people who need it." Tim Dalton, who lives near the Shropshire-Staffordshire border, said the campaign for more donors made him feel "very angry and very frustrated."When trying to book a donation slot, Mr Dalton said "any appointment offered was always in Birmingham or Wolverhampton, but very difficult to get to and always far into the future." Darren Bowen, Assistant Director for Blood Supply Chain at NHS Blood and Transplant, stated that the service "currently [hosts] blood donation sessions in both Shrewsbury and Telford, offering around 5,600 appointments per year."He continued: "We are incredibly grateful to all donors across Shropshire for their unwavering support in ensuring our sessions remain consistently well attended."While our community sessions across the county do get booked up quickly, we are currently appealing for people who live or work near one of our donor centres in towns and cities to help fill these venues where we have greatest availability." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Urgent plea for O negative blood donors in Birmingham
The NHS has warned that supplies of O negative blood in the West Midlands are "critically low", as it urges people to Blood and Transplant has revealed there are 4,033 donors in the region with the O negative blood type whose last donation was more than 12 months is calling on these donors to come forward urgently to help the NHS rebuild supplies, after a combination of factors have left this blood type under particular pressure. England remains on amber alert for low stocks of O type blood. The NHS said four bank holidays, the Easter holidays and half-term break all falling within a six-week period had made maintaining steady stocks particularly challenging. Blood donations often drop over bank holiday weekends and holiday periods when people are busy and forget to Gogarty, director of blood supply for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Our 'missing' O negative donors in the West Midlands have the power to relieve the pressure on supplies of this vital blood type."If you are O negative and haven't given blood in a while, please book an appointment to donate today. Don't hesitate - patients need you now."Our donor centres like the one in Birmingham's New Street generally have the best availability. If you can't find an appointment straight away please book further ahead or keep checking back to help fill last minute appointments or cancellations. Every donation makes a critical difference." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NHS issues critical appeal for Birmingham blood donors
The NHS in the West Midlands has issued a "critical" appeal for people to give blood as donations dip over the bank holiday period. People with O negative, O positive, A positive and RO blood types are particularly needed over the coming weeks. Three thousand blood donor appointments are still available to be filled at the Birmingham Donor Centre, on New Street, the NHS said. The appeal said there also remained an ongoing need for more donors of black heritage to help patients with sickle cell disease who need ethnically matched blood. Four bank holidays in just six weeks could push supply to critical levels, said the body's Blood and Transplant department. A spokesperson said: "Blood donations often drop over bank holiday weekends, and with Easter falling late this year, four bank holidays in just six weeks have placed increased pressure on blood stocks."England currently remains in Amber alert for low stocks of O negative and O positive blood. "The need for blood never stops," said Gerry Gogarty, director of Blood Supply at NHS Blood and Transplant. "We are extremely grateful to everyone who has donated so far this year, but we must act now to avoid falling has a shelf life of 35 days, and platelets only seven days, so it is vital stocks are constantly replenished, the organisation said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
