Amber alert triggered: NHS faces critical shortage of type O blood

A perfect storm of increased demand for group O blood from hospitals following the recent cyber-attack, which also affected London hospitals and led to a decline in blood donations due to high numbers of missed appointments at inner-city donation centres, has resulted in blood stocks falling to unprecedented low levels.

NHS Blood and Transplant has today written to hospitals urging them to limit the use of group O blood to essential cases and to use substitutes when clinically safe. Group O negative and O positive donors are being asked to make and attend appointments at donation centres as a matter of urgency.

Currently, the national supply of O Negative blood is 1.6 days and the total national supply of blood of all blood groups is 4.3 days. On average, around 50,000 appointments need to be made per week. Over the next two weeks, over 12,000 appointments need to be made at the donor centers.

An Amber Alert is an important part of the NHS business continuity plan for blood supplies. It enables hospitals to

• implement their emergency measures to minimise consumption;
• Transfer personnel to laboratories to review the use of group O blood; and
• Use patient blood management systems to minimize the use of group O blood.

O negative is the blood type that can be given to anyone – known as the universal blood type. It is used in emergencies or when a patient’s blood type is unknown. Ambulance helicopters and emergency vehicles carry blood type O negative. Only 8 percent of the population has blood type O negative, but it accounts for around 16 percent of hospital prescriptions.

Hospitals will continue to perform urgent, emergency and trauma surgeries, cancer surgeries, transplants and blood transfusions to treat people with chronic conditions.

The ongoing cyber incident affecting London hospitals is impacting supplies of O-negative blood. Since the incident began in June, these hospitals have required an additional 1.7 days of O-negative blood – a 94 percent increase compared to the same period last year and equates to 170 additional O-negative donations per week.

In summer, it is increasingly difficult to get people to donate blood. Large public sporting events can reduce registrations for blood donations, holidays and international travel can also reduce availability, and changeable weather and unexpectedly hot days can increase the number of people unable to donate blood due to dehydration or low iron levels in the blood.

NHSBT runs 235 mobile sessions in community rooms each week, which are regularly almost fully booked. A higher number of appointments are available at sessions in the 25 donor centres. To supply hospitals with the 1.5 million units of blood they need to treat patients, appointments must be almost fully booked throughout the year.

Managing Director Dr. Jo Farrar says:

“We urgently need more group O blood donors to help us replenish our supplies to treat patients in need of treatment. Last month, we saw an incredible response from donors who answered our call and filled our centers, helping us meet the increased demand for blood in June. However, seven weeks later, the need for group O negative blood remains critical.”

“We are making an additional 1,000 appointments available each week. Please take a moment to go online and book. If you can’t find an appointment immediately, please book for the coming days, weeks and months. We will continue to need donations. Thank you everyone for your support.”

Hospitals need three blood donations every minute to deal with emergencies, births and routine treatments. Blood only lasts for 35 days, so the NHS needs blood all year round.

There are almost 800,000 regular blood donors, 108,000 of whom have blood group 0 negative. Ultimately, we need more people to donate blood regularly and come to one of our 25 donation centers. Women can donate once every four months and men once every three months.”

Dr Gail Miflin, Chief Medical Officer, NHSBT

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of the NHS, said:

“We are seeing an increasing demand for blood and shortages in supplies. That’s why it’s important that donors come forward for appointments.”

“Thanks to regular blood donors across the country, hospitals can continue to access supplies when needed and prioritize them to those who need them most.”

“Patients should continue to seek help when they need it – by dialling 999 in a life-threatening emergency or 111 on the NHS app, online or by phone for other health issues.”