11 Feb 2025
Alongside our emergency service colleagues London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade, London’s Air Ambulance Charity is supporting NHS Blood and Transplant’s appeal for members of the public to donate O negative blood as stocks run low.
We see firsthand the critical need for blood supplies, with our advanced trauma teams attending road traffic collisions, assaults, falls from height and incidents on the rail network on a daily basis.
First responders rely on supplies of O negative blood as it is the universal type that can be safely transfused to critically injured patients at the roadside. Following a challenging festive period, stocks of both O negative and B negative blood are under particular pressure and more donations are urgently needed to keep these types in good supply. The NHS in England remains in Amber alert for low blood stocks.
We therefore are urging people to book an appointment now to donate at one of England’s 27 town and city donor centres.
Jonathan Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer of London’s Air Ambulance Charity, said:
“In 2012, London’s Air Ambulance became the first air ambulance to carry blood on board our cars and aircraft. Since then, it is no exaggeration to say that blood has become crucial to our operations on a daily basis.
“All the blood we use comes from one single source – donations from the general public. Without that generosity, so much of the work our trauma teams do on scene would simply not be possible. I would urge anyone who can to give blood – for many of our patients, it can make a life-saving difference.”
Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, recently met with senior leaders from the three emergency services to thank them for their ongoing support. The visit, hosted by London’s Air Ambulance Charity, saw the leaders come together at The Royal London Hospital where they also visited London’s Air Ambulance’s helipad.
Dr Farrar said: “We’re incredibly grateful to our partners at London’s Air Ambulance Charity, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade for the fantastic support they continue to give to promoting and driving blood donation.
“Our job is to collect, manufacture and supply blood so the NHS can save lives. We can only do that thanks to our amazing donors. If you’ve never given blood before, please make an appointment to see if you’re O negative.”
As well as O negative and B negative donors, people with Ro blood are also particularly needed. There is an ongoing need for more donors of black heritage to help patients with sickle cell who need ethnically matched blood. First time donors who don’t know their blood type will find out after their first successful donation.
To book an appointment visit www.blood.co.uk, use the GiveBlood app or call: 0300 123 23 23.