Manchester still urgently needs blood donors with one in three appointments not booked, health chiefs say

Health chiefs have issued a second urgent appeal for blood donors to come forward and book appointments in Manchester.

Blood stocks in the city are falling and there are still large numbers of appointments at Manchester’s two permanent donor centres over the next week which are available.

NHS Blood and Transplant, which is issuing the call, says the lack of donors booking appointments is due to a combination of illness,mainly due to the rising Covid-19 cases, and people being busy or away on holiday over summer.

It is the second time in as many weeks that a call for people to come forward and give blood in Manchester has been made.

Why are blood donors being asked to book appointments urgently in Manchester?

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) says blood donations are still urgently required at Manchester’s donor centres.

While sessions around Greater Manchester at community venues are mostly full, the larger blood donor centres in the city currently have unfilled appointments.

Norfolk House donor centre in Manchester is only 62% full next week, which is the week commencing 11 July, while the Plymouth Grove facility is only 66% full.

The NHSBT blood stock holding unit in Manchester - which serves the wider region, not just the city - has less than four days of some blood types, when it normally looks to hold six days.

The lack of appointments being filled has been put down to a combination of staff and donor illness, largely linked to the fact coronavirus cases are going up across the city-region. and people not booking appointments as they are busier over the summer with holidays and events.

At the same time, hospitals are using more blood than is currently being donated because demand has returned to pre-pandemic levels as the NHS tries to catch up on the large backlog of routine procedures that were all postponed due to Covid.

That, the NHSBT says, means donors need to urgently come forward now.

The blood types most in demand are O positive, O negative and B negative. Each blood donation can save or improve up to three lives, with blood being used to treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery.

What should I do if I am a donor or want to become one?

Appointments for Plymouth Grove and Norfolk House can be booked by visiting the Give Blood website here, calling 0300 123 23 23 or downloading and using the NHS Give Blood app.

The Give Blood website also has all the details people looking to become blood donors for the first time need to know, including if they are eligible to give blood or not.

What has been said about the need for blood donations?

Mark Chambers, NHSBT assistant director of planning, said: “We are still supplying hospitals with all the blood they need. However we need to stop the decline in blood stocks now.

“We urgently need more people to make appointments to give blood at our Manchester donor centres.

“If you are one of our amazing donors in Manchester please make and keep an appointment at one of our donor centres.

“And if you have never donated before, now is a great time to make your first donation. You will be helping the NHS at an important time.

“Every appointment counts.”