Can You Help The NHS Increase Blood Donations?

The British Army is encouraging people to support the NHS by donating blood. 

The entire military community - from personnel and families to contractors and veterans - are being asked to help because the NHS is in desperate need of 4,000 more donors. 

“If you’re in the military, people have been away on operations, been in harm's way and they know the importance of blood donations.”

Lieutenant General Tyrone Urch, Commander Home Command, is heading up the campaign and spoke to Forces News presenter Matt Teale about the military’s involvement. He said: 

“We want to really try and increase the number of blood donors we’ve got who are currently donating from across the Army family and I think we can kind of help out the NHS much like we have with COVID-19.” 

Once donated, blood can only be kept for 35 days so the UK-wide campaign will last from now until World Blood Donor Day on June 14, 2021, in order to reach the target of 4,000 more volunteers.

Can you help the NHS when it needs you? 

AUDIO: Lieutenant Colonel Richard Jeffery of HQ Home Command in Aldershot knows how important blood donations can be having received a transfusion himself.

The lack of blood donors is an important issue right now, particularly in the military community. He said: 

“I think every single soldier that I know understands the importance of this and lots of my muckers who I talk to, even people on the Army board for example. 

“It only lasts 35 days so you can’t keep it forever so we’re going to need a continual supply of people wanting to come forward. 

“The big aspiration is trying to get 4,000 new donors across the Army to come and donate some blood.” 

VIDEO: SSgt Alecia Grant shows how easy and safe it is to give blood

As well as asking for donors, the Army will be offering locations on its land as donor centres from early next year. So far, the locations are UK-only but blood is needed worldwide. The Army will be supporting the NHS by focusing on what they are good at. For example, they won’t be taking the blood. Lt Gen Urch said: 

“We don’t want to be doing that, it’s not our business, it’s not what we’re good at.

"There are plenty of professionals in the NHS that are all over that, that’s their job. 

“We’ll offer some locations, we’ll offer some administrative support and things like that but we’re not going to be manning the blood donation locations themselves, the NHS will do it.” 

Every type of blood is important and will help to save a life.  If you are Regular or Reserve, an MOD employer or a family member your contribution matters. The Army’s role is to protect people and in donating blood you will be extending this level of protection to the nation. He said: 

“We’re public servants. We’re in this out of a sense of loyalty for our country and the sense that we’re doing the right thing on a bad day. 

“You’ve just got to go to one of these locations, there might even be one on your camp. 

“The NHS nurses are absolutely amazing and all the volunteers there and I’m a blood donor myself."

All you have to do is check if you can give blood then register with your regional blood and transplant services: 

England - NHSBT

Scotland - SCOTBLOOD

Wales - Welsh BTS

Northern Ireland - NIBTS

When you have registered, fill in the short survey so that your contribution will count towards the target of 4,000.

The NHS needs more male, black heritage and universal donors, so if you fall into one of these categories you are likely to be fast-tracked.  

Some donor venues have more capacity than donors and need our help so, if possible, check in to one of these locations. 

• Bexley Heath - East 
• Birmingham - West 
• WEDC/Bloomsbury - East 
• Edgware - East 
• Manchester - North 
• Liverpool - North 
• Luton - East 
• Stratford - East 
• Twickenham - East 

Can you help the NHS when it needs you?