To think I shouldn’t have to take time off work to donate blood?

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I’m a regular donor. Used to be able to get local appointments after work - as late as 8pm, or even take a long lunch when WFH for a ‘medical appointment’.

now it’s impossible to get a convenience appointment anywhere near where I live or work, very few mobile sessions available and those that are are fully booked. I can’t book for 2024 as slots aren’t out that far in advance. The only slot I can get is at 2pm in the afternoon and would take 2 hours to get there, say 90 mins there, so I’d need to take at least a half day holiday. AIBU to think there should be more availability or weekend slots? I’ve been having this issue for a year or so meaning I’ve been unable to donate as regularly as I just don’t have the leave.

Those who struggle getting appointments, it is worth checking a few days before donation clinics, as this is when people get reminder texts and cancel if it doesn’t suit.

I’ve switched to plasma at the moment, if it continues OK will stick with that for a few years. Only three centres at the moment I think, but if anyone who’s struggling to get appointments is near the Reading, Twickenham or Birmingham sites then there are more appointments available as they’re permanent sites.

They don't have loads of blood. The problem is that they don't have enough staff.

They're lucky if I donate once a year now. There is never a convenient appointment available anywhere near me. I donated during lock down and all sorts.

I live next to a centre that claims to be desperate for donors…yet last 2 times I have had an appointment, they cancelled it with absolutely no notice at all - didn’t even bother informing me until I got there.
I appreciate staffing is tough but not telling me at all is not acceptable. I can’t deal with the disruption to work so I’ve sadly not rebooked

My DH is as well but because he can't 'commit' weeks ahead of time (due to his job), he hasn't given for ages. Was so much better/easier when you could turn up without an appointment.

I'm pretty sure my last workplace had a van come out and people were given time off to donate. I couldn't because I was a recipient of blood before the cut off.

I would love to thank all who donate as without that blood I would have died and my baby son wouldn't have a mother, or his brother and sister.

I have never given but was going to start and was the same.
4pm was the latest appointment. So I'm afraid I'll be keeping my blood.
What's the point on spending sxxt loads on advertising then make donating a mission.

We used to have sessions at work, but they stopped when we moved offices to somewhere with a small basement car park that the blood bus couldn't get into.

We have a time recording code for donating blood now instead.

Public sector arm's reach body.

YANBU. I wanted to donate blood (I'm o negative universal donor) but it was such a hassle trying to book a suitable appointment that I gave up trying. You hear that reserves are low, but is it any wonder really!

YANBU. I've given blood a few times and keep looking to give more but the locations are ridiculous. I used to have so many local to me now the nearest is 20 miles away! I work and have a young child so it's impossible to get there. I hope the service is improved.

I watched aghast when they gave a woman an absolute mouthful and turned her away because she was 5 mins late for an appointment. Absolutely ridiculous - there's no way her 5 mins would have put them significantly off schedule, and she'd given up here evening to get there, not her fault that traffic or whatever was bad. Since seeing that attitude I'm very reluctant to donate. Plus I can't anyway since they don't have any appointments in my area at a realistic time for someone who works FT and commutes.

I used to regularly give blood, but the last time I was there it took 4 hours, despite me having a booked appointment.

I am giving my blood for free, the only thing I expect in return is respect for my time.

Thanks to this thread I just logged into the Blood service website and have booked an appointment for 5 weeks time at a convenient time after work about a 20 minute drive from home. It's been the place I've donated most frequently, if you can call it frequent, over the last few years.

Another thing that has changed is that they used to book you in for your next donation whilst at a donor session so it was done and you didn't have to think about it.

Download the app and look for a centre close to where you work.
I book the next time via the app as soon as I've given and I can always get a late afternoon/early evening appt.

Driving two hours after giving blood is not a good idea

And that's a ridiculous thing to say. Everyone drives to a donation centre. They'd never get any volunteers if people weren't allowed to drive afterwards!

I've had the opposite experience the last year or so. They've started at a new location with better parking which seems to have more slots at times that work for me. Before, they ran 2 till 8 always on a Wednesday when I did the schoolrun and had evening commitments, now they start a bit earlier and come on different days so I stand a better chance of finding a slot.

Another person here saying thank you - I had life-saving transfusions as a baby. So I can’t donate but I’m grateful to those who did / do. I hope they make the service more convenient!

I'm yet another o neg donor who gets regular texts about needing donations urgently but can't seem to book an appt whenever I try. Would happily give more often if it was walk in like it used to be.

My last two have been cancelled by the donation service not me and I can't book another within a 30 mile radius at all, I live in an urban area not far from London.
I can't give it away!

Does anyone know if you can give blood while on rybelsus/ ozempic etc?

You can check on the app.

Don't you think we've already had the sense to try this? I work 10 minutes from where I live so it doesn't make much difference. There used to be loads of sessions within 10-15 minutes drive of me. There are now none held in our very large county. Yes that's right, a big fat zero! The nearest one I can find is nearly 40 miles away. So no, just because you can find an appointment, doesn't mean everyone else can.

There was a huge two year randomised study of fifty thousand donors investigating the impact of donating at different intervals, which concluded that while most donors would be fine donating more often, some would be put at risk. It was ages ago now, so I don't know why they haven't progressed with a plan to refine donation frequency depending on sex, size and haemoglobin levels. (I know they already do vary by sex, but they'd possibly move from a blanket 16 for women and 12 for men to a variable 8/10/12 for men and 12/14/16 for women).

Personally I find that even sixteen weeks is pushing it for my iron levels - I do better if I wait until I get a 16 week reminder and then book an appointment for a couple of weeks later (I give at a permanent centre, so I can always book at a convenient time for me).

Blimey, I didn’t realise how lucky I was. The Blood Donation people come to our local Rugby Club, which is about a 5 minute drive for me. I’ve never had a problem getting a lunch time appointment and I’ve never had them cancel. The sessions run pretty much on time. Everyone is lovely and friendly and we get squash and biscuits or crisps after.

I’ve given four times a year for many years now. In fact I think I’ve only ever had to miss twice. I know once was when I had Covid. I think the other I was on holiday.
I really hope this doesn’t change. We’re not a big town so might not be a priority if staffing is a problem.

So sorry for everyone struggling to donate. What an awful situation.

I think they'd still get quite a lot from the permanent Oxford Circus and Birmingham sites. Not many people driving to them.

But there's a big difference between a fifteen minute drive to the nearest town centre and a full two hours across country.