Plea for Luton people to donate blood as stocks dwindle

The NHS Blood and Transplant service is appealing to people in Luton give blood as stocks dwindle.

Residents are being asked to book vital appointments to fill the gaps created by cancellations to ensure hospitals get the blood they need this winter.

O and B negative donors who have an appointment over the next days and weeks are urged to keep them if they’re fit and healthy.

There are around 400 available appointments at Luton Donor Centre over the next four weeks. If needed the NHS will swap other appointments to prioritise booking in donors with these two most needed blood types.

O and B negative blood donors asked to call 0300 303 2096 to find a priority space.

The appeal follows a higher than usual number of cancellations due to seasonal illnesses, holiday disruptions and strikes, as well as a rise in demand for O negative blood from hospitals.

This is affecting the NHS’ ability to collect enough of the right blood types. Supplies of O and B negative blood are under pressure and urgently need to be rebuilt.

There are many O negative blood donors who may not have donated in a while. The NHS is urging them to book their next appointment now.

A recent survey found one in five existing blood donors donate only once a year or less. Yet healthy donors are generally eligible to make their next appointment every 12 weeks for men or 16 weeks for women.

Each donation takes up to an hour and can save or improve up to three lives.

The NHS needs 6,000 units of blood each day to ensure patients get the blood they need and aims to hold above six days of stock at any given time.

Winter is always a challenging time for blood stocks in England, reaching their annual low point in the first week of January.

Spokesperson David Rose said: “We particularly need O and B negative donors to urgently increase supplies.”.

> Luton Donor Centre is at St Georges Square, Bridge Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 2NF. There is paid parking behind the centre on Library Road, Luton, LU1 2NG.