Scots are being urged to book an appointment
Scots are being urged to donate blood – and there’s one group of people who could make a big difference.
Angela, who works at a Glasgow Donor Centre for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), has taken to Instagram to encourage people to help save lives. She said: “Right now, Scotland needs O Positive, O Negative, B Positive, B Negative and A Negative. That’s a lot of doners.”
In addition to this, SNBTS issued a plea on its website on August 31 that there is a “particular need for Type O blood.” With this in mind, Scots are being urged to book blood donation appointments in the coming weeks as the SNBTS works to “boost supplies”.
The experts explain that there are eight blood groups, and donated blood only lasts 35 days. This means supplies need to be topped up all the time.
Around half of Scots – about 2.7 million people – have Type O blood, and SNBTS needs roughly 1,950 Type O donations every week to keep hospitals supplied. Sadly, stocks are currently lower than they’d like, so they’re asking regular donors and first-timers to book an appointment.
Debbie McNaughton, SNBTS Associate Director Donor and Transport Services, says, “Type O is always in demand. O negative can be given to patients of any blood type, making it invaluable in emergencies. However, O positive is the most common group in the population, and is therefore needed by more patients than any other. This makes it essential to keep type O stock at safe levels.”
SNBTS is particularly keen to hear from younger people who haven’t donated before, and from donors who haven’t given blood in a while. They’re also encouraging people to bring a friend, colleague or clubmate and book in together – making it a shared outing while helping grow the donor base.
Debbie continued: “Giving blood only takes about an hour from start to finish, but it can save up to three lives – that’s a remarkable reward for such a small amount of your time. Whether you’ve given before or you’ve simply never got round to it, now is the moment we need you most.
“Book in with a friend, your workmates, your whole five-a-side team – the more of you who give together, the further it goes. Book online at www.scotblood.co.uk or call us on 0345 90 90 999, Monday to Friday, and help us keep Scotland’s blood stocks where they need to be.”
To support Scotland’s patients and help save lives, book an appointment today:
- Visit www.scotblood.co.uk
- Email nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.scot
- Call 0345 90 90 999 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.dailyrecord.co.uk
