NHS England: Shortage of blood supplies prompts amber warning

[Still Waters]

Blood supplies have fallen to a critically low level in England, which has made NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) declare its first amber alert.

Hospitals may have to postpone some elective surgery, but emergency care will not be affected.

A lack of staff to care for people giving blood is thought to be behind the shortage.

Overall blood stocks in the NHS stand at 3.1 days, but levels of O type blood have fallen to below two days.

The NHS is urging people to come forward and fill empty appointments at large donor centres.

O blood groups are in particular demand because O positive is the most common blood type, and everyone can receive O negative blood in an emergency or if a person's blood type isn't known.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63229980