NHS Blood and Transplant has triggered an amber alert as blood stock is running low.
The alert has been put in place today, on Wednesday, October 12, meaning hospitals have been asked to put in place management plans to protect blood stocks. Some non-urgent elective surgeries may be postponed so blood can be prioritised for patients who need it most , the NHS has warned.
There is now a call for donors to help fill empty appointments, with donor centres extending hours to fit in more slots. O blood groups are in particular need.
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The amber alert will last initially for four weeks which should enable blood stocks to be rebuilt. Wendy Clark, Interim Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant said: "Asking hospitals to limit their use of blood is not a step we take lightly. This is a vital measure to protect patients who need blood the most.
"Patients are our focus. I sincerely apologise to those patients who may see their surgery postponed because of this. With the support of hospitals and the measures we are taking to scale up collection capacity, we hope to be able to build stocks back to a more sustainable footing.
"We cannot do this without our amazing donors. If you are O Positive or O Negative in particular, please make an appointment to give blood as soon as you can. If you already have an appointment, please keep it." Go to blood.co.uk or use the blood app to check appointment availability.
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