Urgent call for blood donors in Manchester and Liverpool as stocks fall

Urgent call for blood donors on Liverpool and Manchester
Urgent call for blood donors on Liverpool and Manchester as covid cases hit donations Credit: NHS Blood and Transplant

There is an urgent call for blood donations as stocks fall in Liverpool and Manchester Donor Centres.

This is mainly due to higher levels of staff and donor illness, linked to the rise in coronavirus cases.

Donations are also lower in the summer, when people are busy with holidays and events.

Although the NHS Blood and Transplant organisation says while many sessions held in community venues such as church halls are full, the blood donor centres in cities currently have unfilled appointments.

  • The Liverpool Blood donor centre is only 74% full.

  • The Manchester Norfolk House donor centre is only 62% full.

  • The Manchester Plymouth Grove Donor Centre is only 66% full.

The NHSBT blood stock holding units in Liverpool and Manchester - which serve the wider region, not just the cities they are in – have around four days of blood of several blood types, when they normally look to hold six days.

The demand for blood is back to pre-pandemic levels as hospitals catch up on the backlog of routine activity that was postponed.

Manchester Norfolk House urgent call for blood donations Credit: NHS Blood and Transplant

Hospitals are still receiving all the blood they need but more donations are needed now, to ensure stocks do not fall further.

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. Blood is used to treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery.

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 Liverpool and Manchester donor centres.

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

“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.”

Liverpool Blood Donor centre is on St Paul’s Square in the city centre.

Manchester’s blood donor centres are in Norfolk Street in the city centre and in Plymouth Grove, south of the city centre.