NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is urgently calling for O Positive and O Negative blood donors in Harrow and across London to help bolster blood stocks. With 6,400 appointments available at donation centres in Stratford, Shepherd’s Bush, Oxford Circus, Tooting, and the closest centre in Edgware, donors are needed to meet the critical demand.
O Negative blood is crucial as it can be given to anyone, making it essential for emergencies and situations where a patient’s blood type is unknown. This type of blood is carried by air ambulances and emergency response vehicles. Although only 8% of the population has O Negative blood, it accounts for approximately 15% of hospital orders.
O Positive, the most common blood type, is possessed by 35% of donors. It can be given to anyone with a positive blood type, meaning it benefits around 76% of the population.
An NHSBT spokesperson stressed the urgency of the appeal: “We urgently need O Negative and O Positive donors to book appointments to give blood in London. We currently need to prioritise donors who know they are type O but also welcome new donors who don’t yet know their blood type.
“Please book an appointment at one of the donor centres which currently have good appointment availability. There are more than 6,000 appointments available in London this week and next week. Go to blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.”
Following recent bank holidays and school holidays, the NHS has lower than normal stocks of type O blood. With National Blood Week approaching, NHSBT is gearing up for a major push to recruit new donors ahead of the summer.
To make an appointment to donate blood, visit blood.co.uk, use the GiveBlood app, or call 0300 123 23 23. Your donation can save lives and is needed now more than ever.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
