The NHS needs a higher number of donations throughout the summer.

During the summer months, donor attendance has been known to drop significantly.  This year, this has become even more apparent as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease.  

As restrictions begin to ease and the NHS restarts routine surgeries and procedures, the demand for blood increases and we need to ensure that supply does not drop below acceptable levels.

To put it in perspective, we need:

• Nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand
• Around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who can no longer donate
• 40,000 more black donors to meet growing demand for better-matched blood
• 30,000 new donors with priority blood types such as O negative every year
• More young people to start giving blood so we can make sure we have enough blood in the future

In donating blood you can help to save and improve the lives of up to 3 adults or 6 children.  

It takes around 7-10 minutes to donate a unit of blood, with the whole appointment likely to finish within an hour.

To book an appointment, please visit www.blood.co.uk.