The NHS has issued its first ever amber alert warning for blood supplies, meaning that they have dropped to a ‘critically low’ level in England, but what does this mean?
A letter sent to NHS managers has warned that due to NHS Blood and Transplant’s amber alert status, some elective surgeries may need to be postponed as hospitals have been asked to put in place management plans to protect blood stocks.
Although emergency care shouldn’t be affected, the overall blood stock in the NHS stands at just 3.1 days – but levels of O type blood have plunged to below two days.
O type blood is crucial for emergency services as it can be given to anyone – ambulances carry a supply of this type of blood so that it can be given when the blood type of the recipient in danger is unknown.
Blood can only be stored for 35 days, which means there is a constant need for donations – and a need for specific blood types.
It’s thought that a shortage of staff to care for those donating blood is the reason behind the shortage, with the NHS now urging people to come forward and donate blood as soon as possible – especially if they have O negative or O positive types of blood.
Where can I give blood?
The NHS urges anyone fit and healthy to make an appointment to donate – if you need to cancel please give at least three days’ notice so the place can be offered to another donor.
Appointments take just one hour and your blood could help save or improve up to three lives.
Book appointments to give blood by calling 0300 123 23 23, by downloading the NHS Give Blood app or visiting blood.co.uk.