The NHS needs people to donate blood as supplies have fallen to critically low levels in England.
For the first time ever, an amber alert has been declared due to low stocks. The NHS usually aims to hold at least six days of blood in stock, but NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has said that stocks have now fallen to just three days worth, with levels of O-type blood dropping to below two days.
The low stock of O-type bloods is particularly concerning because they are the ones most in demand. O-Positive blood is the most common blood type, while O-Negative is the blood type that can be given to anyone and is often used in emergency situations where the person's blood type is unknown.
Read More: First-ever amber alert issued for blood supplies as stocks fall to critically low level
Non-urgent operations requiring blood may now be postponed to ensure stock is reserved for patients who need it the most. It's believed that ongoing staffing issues are partially to blame for the amber alert, but NHSBT is also asking for certain people to give blood as soon as possible, reports The Mirror.
So who is eligible to give blood and where can you donate it? See below for more information.
Who is eligible to give blood?
While people of all blood types can donate blood, NHSBT is currently calling for people who have O-Positive or O-Negative blood to come forward. Wendy Clark, from NHSBT, said: "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."
To be eligible to give blood you'll need to be able to meet some criteria, these include:
- Being generally fit and well
- Aged between 17 and 65
- Weighing between 7 stone 12lbs and 25 stone
- Having suitable veins (checked before you donate).
There are also some reasons why you may be prohibited from giving blood, including if you:
- Have had cancer
- Have some heart conditions
- Received blood, platelets, plasma or any other blood products after 1 January 1980
- Are HIV positive
- Have had an organ transplant
- Are a carrier of hepatitis B or C
- Have injected non-prescribed drugs, including body-building or tanning injections.
As well as this, some people will need to wait before they can give blood. This includes if you:
- Finished taking Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) in the last three months
- Have had sexual contact with a partner who is HIV positive, HTLV positive, a hepatitis B or C carrier, syphilis positive, has received money or drugs for sex, has injected non-prescribed drugs in the last three months
- Feel ill
- Are pregnant or have had a baby in the last six months
- Recently got a tattoo or piercing
- Are undergoing assessment for a medical condition
- Have travelled to or from certain countries outside the UK.
Where can you donate blood?
You can donate blood at one of the NHS Blood and Transplant centres or local venues across the UK. There are 25 permanent blood donation centres in England, as well as thousands of local venues located in towns and cites including Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham and more.
You can search for the blood donation venue nearest to you on the Give Blood website. Donors in Wales can find donation centres on the Welsh Blood Service website, Scottish donors can find their nearest centre on the Scot Blood website and Northern Irish donors can search for their nearest one on the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service website.
Once you've selected your location you can book your blood donation appointment online.
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