NHS plea for tens of thousands of blood donors as supply falls

THE NHS is urgently appealing for thousands of people to donate blood over the Christmas period.

- BY HANNA GEISSLER Health Editor

More than 16,000 appointments are there to be filled in England before the end of 2025, and the health service is bracing itself for a drop in visits during the festive period.

NHS Blood and Transplant issued 111,588 units of blood to hospitals last December — 2,378 more than the 109.210 units collected.

Collections were 8.5% below target for the month and 8% below the monthly average for the year.

Blood can be stored for only 35 days, meaning a steady stream of donors is vital for emergencies and patients needing regular treatment.

Chloë Adlerstein, 33, relies on lifesaving blood transfusions every three weeks. She was born with beta thalassaemia, an inherited condition where the body makes less functioning haemoglobin — the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.