Urgent plea for blood as donors laid low with flu

A RECORD rise in cases of flu and the winter vomiting virus has triggered a major crisis in NHS blood supplies.

The National Blood Service today issued an urgent plea for donations as London hospitals faced a shortage. Latest figures reveal that bloodbanks have only just over four days' supply left in reserve of type O.

This is the blood group most in demand in Britain and vital for accident victims as well as patients undergoing surgery. Normally there are enough stocks available for a week but those have dipped.

The combination of an early flu season and the extended Christmas break is to blame for donors missing appointments.

More than 6,000 fewer donors than last year gave blood at the start of December. This triggered a significant drop in stocks which need 7,000 donations across the UK each day for healthy stocks.

Andy Young, director of blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Many of the donors on whom we rely to keep stocks healthy over the holiday period have not been able to give blood due to flu and winter colds. Blood is often vital for patients undergoing treatment for cancer, for example."

Royal College of General Practitioners chairman Professor Steve Field said: "This drop in blood donations doesn't surprise me. The concern is that blood only has a limited shelf life. Some hospitals keep their own stocks but it depends on the size of the hospital. The message to donors is that 'you are needed'.''

Donations did rise in the two days before Christmas but the service said it was concerned that stocks could dip again.

This comes as new figures released by NHS Direct reveal it received record levels of calls over the holiday season. The majority were for coughs, throat problems, ear infections and virus-related vomiting. Staff dealt with 32,000 calls on Saturday 27 December and 26,130 on Boxing Day.

This compares with 22,533 calls on Boxing Day last year.

A spokeswoman for NHS Direct said: "The level of calls was unprecedented. We had already rostered extra staff but they were on the phone constantly and at one stage we had 1,000 calls waiting to be answered. A lot of people panicked because places were closed over Christmas."

Watchdog the Health Protection Agency warned people to be alert to flu symptoms over the New Year. HPA's London regional director Dr Brian McCloskey said the elderly and those with health problems - such as asthma or heart conditions - were at high risk. He stressed it was important for people in vulnerable groups to protect themselves by having the free flu jab.

Dr McCloskey said: "There is no specific treatment for flu so the agency's advice is to rest at home, drink plenty of fluids and use over-the-counter remedies if they make you feel more comfortable.

"Flu can be dangerous for certain groups of people, however, such as older people, those with heart problems, asthma and those whose immune systems are suppressed by illness or treatment."