Appeal as weather hits blood stocks (From Braintree and Witham Times)

Appeal as weather hits blood stocks

9:30am Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Chloe Chapman

BLOOD stocks across south Essex suffered this week as heavy rain prevented many donors attending appointments.

The county is 1,000 units down for September – a shortfall the rest of Britain will need to pick up.

Dominic Sutherland, donor relations manager for south Essex, said: “The shortfall in blood collections in Essex is going to affect the whole country. When there are problems like this in every region, the situation for Britain as a whole is pretty poor.

“Some people have to travel a couple of miles to their blood bank and bad weather like we have had this week can cause delays, or make them skip appointments. “We urge anyone who has arranged to give blood to do their best to keep their appointment. It is so important.” NHS Blood and Transplant introduced a new system this year where donors were encouraged to make specific appointments, rather than just turn up at their donation session.

Tom Defty, from Essex Weather Centre, revealed the wet weather was set to clear from today, so the problem with blood stocks could improve.

Nationally, NHS Blood and Transplant are especially keen for donors with blood type O negative and B negative to come forward.

About 7 per cent of the population have group O negative, which can also be given to patients with a different blood group in an emergency.

Only 2 per cent of the population have B negative blood, and it is often found in people from black and minority ethnic communities.

For information on donor sessions, visit www.blood.co.uk/ SessionSearcher

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