Call for more blood donations to save lives on World Blood Donor Day

  • london
  • June 13, 2020
  • Comments Off on Call for more blood donations to save lives on World Blood Donor Day
Call for more blood donations to save lives on World Blood Donor Day thumbnail

A charity has called for more people to donate blood on World Blood Donor Day today.

London’s Air Ambulance has joined medical organisations to raise awareness of the importance of blood donation, showing how donating blood can save a life both in the capital and across the country.

New data released by the charity today shows that during the coronavirus pandemic the number of pre-hospital blood transfusions has increased during the period between March 12 and May 31, compared to the same period in 2019.

30 transfusions were required this year, which is six more than 24 transfusions last year.

Specialist consultants at Barts Health NHS Trust, who pioneered the blood on board initiative within London’s Air Ambulance, have told of how the injured patients in the Covid-19 period were also more seriously injured and needed a higher number of blood products before going to hospital.

Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live

Dr Anne Weaver, consultant in pre-hospital care at London’s Air Ambulance and clinical director of trauma at the Royal London Hospital, said: ‘This highlights the need to continue donating blood despite the challenges associated with Covid-19, as traumatic injuries with serious bleeding sadly continue to occur.

‘With the advanced interventions and pre-hospital transfusions provided by the air ambulance teams, we are able to give these patients a far greater chance of survival, but this depends on the blood donors.

‘Thank you to all those who have donated, and continue to donate, both in the past and throughout this time; blood donation really does save lives, and our teams and our patients are hugely grateful to you.’

London’s Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance service in the UK to carry blood on board its aircraft and administer pre-hospital blood transfusions to critically injured people suffering from catastrophic bleeding on scene.

Since this began in 2012, there has been a reduction in pre-hospital deaths in London from 34% to 19%.

Around three-quarters of all UK air ambulances now carry some form of blood product on board.

Approximately 100 people a year in London suffer traumatic injuries that result in such serious bleeding that they may die before reaching hospital.

In 2018, a new combined red blood cell and plasma product was launched, which is given to patients at risk of bleeding to death before arriving at hospital.

It particularly helps severely injured patients as it contains essential clotting ingredients to help form stronger blood clots and replace lost blood volume.

This improves the chances of these patients reaching hospital alive. Last year, 149 seriously injured patients received blood transfusions of this product before going to hospital.

During the initial months of the pandemic, there were concerns there would not be sufficient blood donors to be able to continue this life-saving service. Contingency plans were made for the eventuality that there was insufficient O-negative blood or plasma for these patients.

But NHS Blood and Transplant has put in place additional safety measures for staff and donors, and blood donations centres are open and running as normally as possible.

World Blood Donor Day has been celebrated on the same day every year since it was established in 2004 by the World Health Organisation, encouraging people worldwide to give blood.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Get the need-to-know coronavirus news, features and tips, right to your inbox.