NHS issues urgent ‘amber alert’ as national blood supplies run dangerously low after cyber attacks

THE NHS has put out an urgent ‘amber alert’ after “a perfect storm” from recent cyber attacks and low donation numbers has seen national blood stocks “drop to unprecedentedly low levels”.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) issued a callout to replenish stocks O-negative and O-positive blood, which are running dangerously low.

It said current national stocks of O-negative blood will last 1.6 days, while overall national stocks of blood across all types will last 4.3 days.

O blood-type is important because it is ‘universal’ – regardless of a person’s blood type, they can receive a transfusion with O blood in most cases.

Blood has a shelf life of 35 days, so stocks need to be continually replenished.

Hospitals need use O-type blood for surgeries and procedures requiring blood, as well as when a person’s blood type is not known, according to the NHS.

But – to put things in perspective – just 8 per cent of the population have type O-negative, but it makes up for around 16 per cent of hospital orders.  

“O-negative and O-positive donors are asked to urgently book and fill appointments at donor centres,” it said in an alert issued today.

NHSBT also wrote to hospitals asking them to restrict the use of O blood “to essential cases”, using different types “where clinically safe to do so”.

“A perfect storm of increased demand of O type blood from hospitals following the recent cyber attack – which has impacted London hospitals – and reduced collections due to high levels of unfilled appointments at donor centres in town and city centres, has caused stocks of blood to drop to unprecedentedly low levels,” the NHS warned.

It issued a previous callout shortly after cyber gang took control of its IT network last month, bringing operations to a halt crippling services such as diagnostic blood testing.

Chief Executive, Dr Jo Farrar, said: “Last month we saw an incredible response from donors who answered our call and filled up our centres, helping us meet the increased demands for blood throughout June.

“However, seven weeks on, the need for O negative blood in particular remains critical.  

“We urgently need more O group donors to come forward and help boost stocks to treat patients needing treatment.”

Hospitals have seen an increased demand for O-negative blood since the cyber attack struck major London hospitals.

“Since the start of the incident in June, those hospitals have needed an additional 1.7 days of O-negative – a 94 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and equating to 170 additional O-negative donations every week,” the NHSBT said.

On top of this, it’s been harder to top of diminishing blood stocks over the summer months.

Big sporting events can cause a dip in the number of people booking in to donate, as can holidays and travel abroad.

Unexpectedly hot days can also mean that people might not be able to give blood due to a lack of hydration or lower iron levels in their blood.

What is an ‘amber alert’?

An amber alert will allow hospitals to:

• Implement their emergency measures to minimise usage; 
• Move staff to laboratories to vet the use of all O type blood
• Use patient blood management systems to minimise use of O type blood

Under the measures, hospitals will continue to carry out urgent, emergency or trauma surgery, cancer surgery, transplant surgery and blood transfusions to treat people with long term conditions.  

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, stressed: “Patients should also continue to come forward for care if they need it – by using 999 in a life-threatening emergency or otherwise using 111 on the NHS App, online or by phone for other health concerns.”

Meanwhile, NHSBT’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gail Miflin, said “Three blood donations are needed every minute in hospitals to deal with emergencies, childbirth and routine treatments.

“Blood only has a shelf life of 35 days so the NHS needs blood all year round. 

“There are just under 800,000 regular blood donors, 108,000 of whom are O-negative.

“Ultimately, we need more people to be regular blood donors and come to one of our 25 donor centres.

“Women can donate once every four months and men can donate once every three months.” 

NHSBT runs 235 mobile sessions a week in community venues.

On average, there are around 50,000 appointments for blood donations to fill each week.

NHSBT said there are over 12,000 appointments still to fill in donor centres over the next two weeks.

Register and book an appointment to donate via the GiveBloodNHS app or at www.blood.co.uk