The NHS has urged people in England to give blood as figures show blood stocks are running low after high demand during the festive period. Hospital demand for blood exceeded collections by almost 3,000 units between 24th December 2024 to 1st January 2025. During the same Christmas week, demand for the vital O negative blood, which can be given to anyone safely in an emergency, exceeded collections by over 900 units.
Blood is used by the NHS to treat patients with cancer, blood disorders, or undergoing surgery. Emergency care mostly requires O negative blood. Donations from people with O negative blood are urgently needed in the coming weeks. There has also been a call for people with B negative and Ro blood types to give blood. The NHS says there is also an ongoing need for blood from donors of Black heritage to give to patients with sickle cell disease who require ethnically matched blood. Dr Jo Farrar, chief executive at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “New Year is a time when lots of people make resolutions. Make giving blood your resolution for 2025 and you will save up to three lives every time you donate. “The NHS needs life-saving blood all year round, so we are asking people to help us maintain the lifesaving supply of blood to hospitals this year by booking an appointment now. “Between now and the middle of January we still have almost 11,000 appointments that we need to fill. “Giving blood is quick and easy - the whole process takes just one hour. Book an appointment today and save lives this year.” An amber alert by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) remains in place after a cyber attack in July last year which resulted in a severe shortage of O negative blood. The attack meant major London hospitals couldn’t cross match blood and patients could only be administered O negative. Minister for Patient Safety, Baroness Merron said: “The NHS is in urgent need of blood and registering to donate is a simple yet powerful way to save lives