Critical blood types plea amid surgery pressures

HOSPITALS DESPERATE TO INCREASE STOCKS AHEAD OF FESTIVE PERIOD

- BEN PERRIN News Reporter

MORE people with specific blood types are being urged to come forward by the NHS as hospitals work to reduce the backlog of planned surgery ahead of the busy winter period.

There is high demand for critical blood types including O negative - the universal blood type B negative and the Ro subtype, which is predominantly found in people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritages.

Winter is always a challenging time for blood stocks as bad weather, seasonal illness and busier diaries lead to more unfilled and missed appointments, and at the same time demand for blood from hospitals can rise.