North Shields residents are being urged to help save lives by giving blood at a session in the town next week.
The NHS said donations are urgently needed after blood stock levels around the country have fallen. This is a result of cancellations due to illness and the annual drop in donations over summer when people are busy with holidays and events.
Now, people are being urged to come along to a blood donation session that is being held at the Linskill Centre, Linskill Terrace, on Tuesday, July 12. The session is currently only 68% full and donors with O positive blood type are particularly needed.
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Donors of all other types are welcome, especially O and B negative.
The NHS said that some blood types are in higher demand from hospitals than others. O negative is in particular demand because anyone can receive the red cells from O negative donors.
This means that O negative red cells can be used in emergencies or when a person's blood type is unknown. It's estimated that just 8% of people have O negative blood, but O negative makes up 13% of requests from hospitals.
The NHS has stressed that hospitals are continuing to receive all the blood they need but more donations are urgently needed to ensure stocks do not fall further.
Anyone wanting to donate at the North Shields session can make an appointment at www.blood.co.uk, by calling 0300 123 23 23 or downloading the NHS Give Blood app.
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