To think the NHS could do better if they are so desperate for blood?

[chickpea1982]

Apparently the NHS are desperate for blood at the moment. I have O negative blood, which is in particularly high demand. I've just tried, and failed, to find an appointment - not for the first time either. There is nothing near me for the rest of the year (I live in Surrey, not the depths of beyond). I have 3 kids and a job, so my availability is pretty limited anyway, but still - nothing?!

I'm told that they would offer priority appointments once I've had my first appointment and they have confirmed my blood type, which is just ridiculous. The NHS has records of my blood type already. And I can't get a first appointment!!

Also, you can't bring kids with you, even babies. That further restricts when I could go and how far I could go as I'd have to get someone else to look after the kids.

It's like they are making it intentionally hard! Surely they could do better if they are so desperate?

The requirements for gay or bi men were updated and drastically improved in 2021.

Provided they meet the same criteria as everyone else, and haven't had anal sex with a new partner, or more than one partner in the last three months they're allowed to donate, so gay or bi men in committed relationships are not discriminated against now.

Incidentally, the exact same rule regarding anal sex with a new partner/s also applies to women.

Because if you use a smaller needle then it is much more difficult to get sufficient blood. The blood pressure in your veins is already very low and so you need a large needle to reduce the resistance to flow to get sufficient volume and also prevent it clotting during collection. Again, it's not just done to be annoying.

Glad it's not just me! I haven't given blood since being diagnosed with under active thyroid. I thought I wasn't allowed to donate blood since then but apparently I can now, so attempted to book an appointment. Couldn't find anything near me. Didn't fancy driving 40 mins to give blood so didn't bother. Guess I will check every now and then to see if there is anything closer.

The appointments available are based on the number of staff available to care for donors and to keep them safe, and to screen donors accurately to ensure that the blood is as safe as possible for recipients, who as you can imagine may be very ill. If there are not enough trained staff available then donations cannot be taken and a session may be cancelled.

The blood donor vans which came to work places were discontinued as adverse events to donors sometimes could not be managed adequately within an enclosed space, and secondly they were not cost effective.

i agree though that a better system is needed to manage donations and value donors, who are after all volunteers giving up their own time to do something so valuable.

@Reallybadidea - yes I know the reason thank you.

It squarely is! They should not be buying only one size that excludes a proportion of donors.

NHS is a big enough customer that they are in a strong position to commission other sizes, or simply keep buying a stock of the type to which any needle could be fitted for use with those for whom the "majority" sizing doesn't work.

Appointment availability seems to have worsened considerably, which is a shame.

So do you think that you should be able to donate blood then?

I've donated in the past but have given up in the last few years. The donation points are all miles away now (used to have multiple local ones) and you have to book an appointment months in advance rather than having regular drop in sessions. The few sessioms they do have are really inconvenient times as well if you work full time, absolutely no evening slots available anywhere anymore.

They must be getting enough blood from donors who can jump through the hoops under normal circumstances, if there were regular shortages it would be easier to donate.

My husband has a rare sub group so has been told he has priority and can donate more frequently but still struggles to find appointments and the last twice he's had his original booking cancelled on the day due to understaffing or overbooking. Once he even had someone call on the day after he'd been cancelled to ask if he could donate (they were unaware he'd been cancelled) but they still couldn't offer him an appointment for months.

@Reallybadidea - <sigh>. No it was just a tongue in cheek comment. You know - ok to give me but they don't want it back. Go and pick a fight with someone else.

British people hate the thought of their data being shared across government (see: the uproar about ID cards) so it's unsurprising that we are behind on this compared to other countries.

And would you really want to sit in a chair with a needle in your arm in a room where other people's kids are tearing about? Pretty sensible to not be able to take kids imo.

Blood type is not stored on your GP record.

I had to stop donating as they wouldn't allow children.

The woman became frustrated with me when I turned up and said
"Well don't you have childcare?"

I did bite back and say do you think they'd be here if I did.

I wasn't trying to pick a fight. I genuinely thought that you didn't know the reason why and I was trying to be helpful. Sorry if you felt patronised, it wasn't my intention

That's not completely true, the needle needs to be at least a certain gauge otherwise the red blood cells burst in the needle (they are incredibly delicate) and this obviously renders it pretty useless

I get that's it's annoying though, I'm o negative but don't have good enough veins to donate either

Can you get to Westfield london? Combine with a day out perhaps? I have just booked an appt there for next week but I could have had same day and they have lots of slots available generally

I'm O+ and found the same, the last time I tried to give blood, which was a good few years ago. I was offered appts 6 months ahead which was too far ahead to be thinking about.
I asked why it was so much harder than before and they basically said they Don't really need that much blood!

They are more efficient at using the blood was what they said.
Still got my blood doning card but haven't bothered trying since then.

They did.

And I can remember the Whitehall pop up (in Methodist Central Hall on Parliament Square) so it was easy for staff all central government departments to pop out and donate with minimal time away from desks (well advertised, so there was a steady stream of people)

They must have assessed that that sort of arrangement did not produce as many donations as the current one does now. Or at least I hope they've done that, because they shouldn't be making unpopular changes unless absolutely certain that the evidence supports it.

This thread prompted me to book.

26th September, 5.50pm, 2.6 miles from home. All earlier dates are full, which I suppose means they are getting supplies through.

The NHS is not one monolith, it's made up separate organisations that legally (because of data protection) can only share information under very defined circumstances (for example if your GP refers you for a hospital appointment or investigation they would share your symptoms and other relevant medical history).

NHS Blood and Transfusion is it's own organisation, it doesn't have access to the IT system at the hospital where you gave birth so they don't know your blood type.

In the past I've been able to donate in community halls v near my home and also in work lunchtime when they set up in 1 of my workplaces (large organisation)

They seem to go out of their way to make most things as difficult as possible.

But the NHS is a monolith, even if it is made up of lots of sub-organisations. I would be very happy for the NHS to share my medical information across its various parts, to make things like this easier. Under data protection law all they need to do is to ask for my consent, which I would be willing to give, and voila! Things would work much better. It's really not that hard.

@Reallybadidea - oh no worries. I'm being overly-sensitive

I thought we all had an option to sign something years ago allowing them to share data, but they still seem to claim they can’t.