More blood donors in Mansfield – but Ashfield at lowest number since 2016

Each year the NHS Blood and Transplant division publishes figures on donations ahead of the annual event, which falls on June 14 and raises awareness of the need for safe blood around the globe.

This year, NHSBT is calling for more donors to come forward after seeing a drop in donations across England during the coronavirus pandemic.

Figures from NHSBT show 1,479 people gave blood in Mansfield in the year to March – a decrease on 1,561 the year before, but higher than the year to March 2020, when 1,357 people donated.

In Ashfield, 1,637 people gave blood in the year to March, the lowest number since at least 2016, when figures are first available.

The organisation said demand for blood dropped during the pandemic as hospitals suspended routine care, but more donors are now needed to due to a drop in recruitment and hospital activity picking up again.

The NHS is particularly short of blood types O negative and B negative, and is encouraging people to get tested to see if they have in-demand, rare blood that could save lives.

Alex Cullen, NHSBT head of blood donation marketing, said: “The NHS needs more donors over the next five years of all blood types.

“We especially need more Black African and Black Caribbean donors to help patients with sickle cell.”

Figures for Mansfield show 180 people gave blood for the first time in the year to March, a drop from 185 the year before, but the same as the year to March 2020.

In Ashfield, 192 donors gave blood for the first time in the year to March, up from 163 the year before, but down from 328 in the year to March 2020.

The number of new people registering to give blood in the area is below pre-pandemic levels, with 432 people in Mansfield and 548 in Ashfield registering in 2021-22, compared with 581 and 1,002 respectively in 2019-20.

Register to give blood and book an appointment by calling 0300 123 2323, or visiting blood.co.uk