Fao emerald green

[egb_hibs]

EGers is this affecting NHS Scotland?

Less than two days’ worth of O negative blood left, NHS warns

Operations at risk of cancellation as hospitals told to limit stocks

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[emerald green]

EGers is this affecting NHS Scotland?

Less than two days’ worth of O negative blood left, NHS warns

Operations at risk of cancellation as hospitals told to limit stocks

www.telegraph.co.uk

Sorry for late reply.

There is a shortage of O Blood in England, which will more than likely require the other nations to assist using pre determined processes. We are doing ok in Scotland with our O stock at the moment. (up here we have the closest relationship with hospitals and are very efficent in moving blood stocks arouind the country <blood and components etc have a shelf life and degrade,> so we are verfy robust up here insomuch as there is very little wastage). England I think are way behind us. (blood transfusions started in Edinburgh - Jack Copland. We can be very proud of this)
We didnt get told any specific reasons (as nations do experience these types of shortages from time to time)....NHSBT is huge in comparison and not as joined up as we are up here... we have very robust IT systems backing up our processes in Scotland, ridic firewalls and security etc, I think Englands vary greatly.

Another factor is that O neg is a pisser in that its the "universal" blood, so it gets used when there is no time to wait and can be used on a person of anytype imitially to save that life. One the bactual blood type sample yield the actualL blood type of the patient, they then get transfused theit own blood type should they require further transfusions. O neg stocks can therefore drop very low very quickly. Englands boards could quite easily have mismanaged this in the last month or so..... eg Englands donations nationwide will have been affected by the Euros and the traditional downturn during summer holidays.

So unofficiaaly, im no actually sure, but the timings suggest it may well be a factor, as does my gut leans towards.

...there is actually an issue with blood donation numbers globally since covid. Donor panels are down almost everywhere. around the world. Recruiting donors is getting harder year on year.

iirc, across all Blood Collections be it Whole Blood or platelet collections, Scotland needs around 3700 a week, and i think at beginning of play yesterday, there was some 1800 appointment slots needing filled.

Apologies for all the digressions and probs not really answered your question, but i must be mindful of my ultracrepidarianism.

 

[egb_hibs]

Thanks EGers, i was wondering if I should drag my sorry arse down to the blood centre. I mean I should obvs, but sounds like it’s not so pressing

 

[southfieldhibby]

Thankfully they’ve started using portobello town hall again for donations, was there last week. No chance I was taking on the task of parking at the blood centre on lauriston place.

 

[Bangkokhibby]

I had a real beef with the Scottish blood folk years ago. I had been a regular donor until a new medication I was on meant my donation was declined and I was told as long as I was on this medication no further donations would be accepted.
A couple of years later I found out quite by accident that donations were now being accepted from folk on this drug.
I asked why I hadn't been informed by email or why this new info hadn't been released to the public so that the hundreds, probably thousands of ex donators could return. The answer was feeble as fuck, along the lines of "you're told when you come what is allowed and what isn't"
They couldn't seem to grasp that those previously told they could no longer donate wouldn't be coming ever again.

 

[emerald green]

Thankfully they’ve started using portobello town hall again for donations, was there last week. No chance I was taking on the task of parking at the blood centre on lauriston place.

Yes,the parking up at Lauriston is anightmare for donors, and affect the footfall up their greatly. Theres so many reason why a particular venue can stop holding donor sessions, but I actually didnt know we stopped going there for a time.... that would have left the much smaller Northfield venue (which Im not sure is still used) or Leith Town hall, which is a bit aof a trek for Porty residents. Woudl have thought that Porty was always viable population wise, so their must have been another reason they stopped going there.

Genuinely a fantastic thing to do, and using up your own time to do it. Your donation will have already been used and basically might have saved the lives off up to 3 people, from the youngest baby to the oldest pensioner and all inbetween. It really is a gift people like yourself give.

 

[emerald green]

Thanks EGers, i was wondering if I should drag my sorry arse down to the blood centre. I mean I should obvs, but sounds like it’s not so pressing

Thing is eeg, when I say "ok" on the O type, stock currently in our bloodbanks, its not a static thing and fluctuates very quickly. If your O neg and been at least 12wks since you were last there, Id urge you to go if youre able. If You are O pos I would also urge you to go, as that is the most common blood type int he UK and that is the type which is needed the most. with B type coming next after that.....

The shelf life of blood or its components, isnae too long (it differs depending on what has been donated <not the blood type, the components/platelets etc>, before it starts to degrade, so the "fresher" the donation the better it is for the Patient.)

Literally every single donation that comes in is used on someone deperately ill. You may have specific components in your blood that can be taken from your donation which can specifically help eg cancer patients or babies. Also every single expectant mother has blood specific to them and their child ready, incase of any complications. All hospitals are unable to perform surgery unless there is sufficient blood stocks.

So if you are able to at anytime get yourself to your nearest Blood Collection, please do.

Apologies for the guilt laden post

 

[egb_hibs]

Thing is eeg, when I say "ok" on the O type, stock currently in our bloodbanks, its not a static thing and fluctuates very quickly. If your O neg and been at least 12wks since you were last there, Id urge you to go if youre able. If You are O pos I would also urge you to go, as that is the most common blood type int he UK and that is the type which is needed the most. with B type coming next after that.....

The shelf life of blood or its components, isnae too long (it differs depending on what has been donated <not the blood type, the components/platelets etc>, before it starts to degrade, so the "fresher" the donation the better it is for the Patient.)

Literally every single donation that comes in is used on someone deperately ill. You may have specific components in your blood that can be taken from your donation which can specifically help eg cancer patients or babies. Also every single expectant mother has blood specific to them and their child ready, incase of any complications. All hospitals are unable to perform surgery unless there is sufficient blood stocks.

So if you are able to at anytime get yourself to your nearest Blood Collection, please do.

Apologies for the guilt laden post

Yes I intend to. I think I am O as well though I’m not sure. I recall being told I can either give or receive blood to / from anyone (can’t mind which). Maybe that’s the same thing or maybe there is no such thing as the latter. Either way I think I’m probably O so should drag myself round there.

 

[emerald green]

I had a real beef with the Scottish blood folk years ago. I had been a regular donor until a new medication I was on meant my donation was declined and I was told as long as I was on this medication no further donations would be accepted.

The reasons why someone can and cannot date at any particular time are huge. That particular drug may have caused harm to patients and / or could have caused the donator, in this case yourself issues had you donated. Technology and understanding change all the time as we become more informed, and of course we guidelines are always changing.

A couple of years later I found out quite by accident that donations were now being accepted from folk on this drug.

The way, in Scotland anyway that Donor records info is held probably didnt lend itself to being able to go onto panels and check why a particular person who was permanently deferred could then go and give blood. IT systems do change and there is probably more chance of this being able to happen now. Again, the thing is, there are probably just too many medical reasons for deferring folks to keep track once they are permanently off. Also, there can be cases where a particular persons medication they were originally deferred for, can now be used but there are other circumstance which have come into play which then defers them. Just a couple of examples.

I asked why I hadn't been informed by email or why this new info hadn't been released to the public so that the hundreds, probably thousands of ex donators could return. The answer was feeble as fuck, along the lines of "you're told when you come what is allowed and what isn't"

I dont know how long ago this was, but now we encourage folks to look into the Scotblood Website and contact the Service where they can speak with dedicated nursing staff who can deal with all their queries and advise nearest place to donate. They can be transferred to dedicated Doctors if the chat is extra complicated or there are multiple things to consider. This service may not have been available at the time for yoursleves. Thats not to excuse any piss poor customer service you might have rec'd tho....

They couldn't seem to grasp that those previously told they could no longer donate wouldn't be coming ever again.

Its not really the case though. Many many donors return who previously couldnt as technology and understanding has progressed, but if there was the chance of perhaps thousands of people being able to give who couldnt before who had no other reasons to not to donate, nowadays, that cohort would be actively looked into to get them back .

Its very specific to the person/their lifestyle. The person receiving the blood often has zero immune system for example, so even a wee cold when donating could have a devastating effect on the recipient.

You may still be able to donate in your new land, they wont be as strict as they dont have the infrastructure that has been built up in the UK, but there are very sick folks where you live who may still benefit from your gift.

But aye, no the best you were lost at the time....

 

[emerald green]

Yes I intend to. I think I am O as well though I’m not sure. I recall being told I can either give or receive blood to / from anyone (can’t mind which). Maybe that’s the same thing or maybe there is no such thing as the latter. Either way I think I’m probably O so should drag myself round there.

If you have been told you can give blood to anyone, you are O neg. Its THE type required the most.
A serious RTA can wipe a hospital cleanout of this type which means that hospitals have to wait on a specific blood group test of the patient, and unfort in that time the emergency can be so great, the patient dies. Hence the Universal or emergency blood tag often given given to O negs as that is what is pumped into them to get them out the emergency and hopefully keep them alive until they can receive their own type. So aye, the latter doesnae exist, we cant receive any type as it will mostly kill if its the wrong type.

Id be suprised tho eeg if you are O neg and your an active on the donor panel that you havnae been almost spammed with letters or telecons. The O type in general is a mare to keep stocks robust (as previously mentioned in original reply post, the majority of the population is O type, so the majority of patients in the hospitals are O). The reality is all types are vital in one way of another, however, e.g. AB type is least common in UK so least needed, and in days gone by folks were generally called up and this lead to stocks being unused, so there are robust systems in place now when we tailor the call ups to the need, therefor an person who is AB may only be needed to come in say once a year whereas the other groups have more pressing need and they get called to come in roughly every 16 weeks.

 

[Bangkokhibby]

The reasons why someone can and cannot date at any particular time are huge. That particular drug may have caused harm to patients and / or could have caused the donator, in this case yourself issues had you donated. Technology and understanding change all the time as we become more informed, and of course we guidelines are always changing.

The way, in Scotland anyway that Donor records info is held probably didnt lend itself to being able to go onto panels and check why a particular person who was permanently deferred could then go and give blood. IT systems do change and there is probably more chance of thance of this being able to happen now. Again, the thing is, there are probably just too many medical reasons for deferring folks to keep track once they are permanently off. Also, there can be cases where a particular persons medication they were originally deferred for, can now be used but there are other circumstance which have come into play which then defers them. Just a couple of examples.

I dont know how long ago this was, but now we encourage folks to look into the Scotblood Website and contact the Service where they can speak with dedicated nursing staff who can deal with all their queries and advise nearest place to donate. They can be transferred to dedicated Doctors if the chat is extra complicated or there are multiple things to consider. This service may not have been available at the time for yoursleves. Thats not to excuse any piss poor customer service you might have rec'd tho....

Its not really the case though. Many many donors return who previously couldnt as technology and understanding had progressed, but if there was the chance of perhaps thousands of people being able to give who couldnt before who had no other reasons to not to donate, nowadays, that cohort would be actively looked into to get them back .

Its very specific to the person/their lifestyle. The person receiving the blood often has zero immune system for example, so even a wee cold when donating could have a devastating effect on the recipient.

You may still be able to donate in your new land, they wont be as strict as they dont have the infrastructure that has been built up in the UK, but there are very sick folks where you live who may still benefit from your gift.

But aye, no the best you were lost at the time....

Thanks for the detailed response, much appreciated. Yes it would have been nearly twenty years ago.
I'm age restricted now I believe but been told I would be accepted if an emergency call goes out for a certain blood type.

 

[emerald green]

Yes I intend to. I think I am O as well though I’m not sure. I recall being told I can either give or receive blood to / from anyone (can’t mind which). Maybe that’s the same thing or maybe there is no such thing as the latter. Either way I think I’m probably O so should drag myself round there.

I think I have read you have a son(s) who are of swally age.... get the eeg Jnr(s) to come along and bring any mates.... but contact the blood service first to ensure they are able (eg theres a wee deferal period of 6months since a tattoo, or there are multple reasons if they have been to a perticular country on holiday at a particular time of the year, potential malarial issues, or Chagas etc etc). .... but getting the youtz in and becooming active blood donors can have them donating for years and new donors are always needed... as stated there may be specific components in a persons donations which can be removed from the donation and used to target specific illnesses. Your son may have a component which you dont.

Its obvs anonymous, and recipients cant thank the donor for literally keeping them alive, but they and all of us in the health sector are genuinely thankful for everysingle person who has given up their own time and effort to give or try to give blood. Proper heroes!

 

[Jack]

I got a blood transfusion about 25 years ago (it's OK I'm still in credit at the bank having given gallons before that ).

I was told afterwards I wouldn't ever be able to give blood again as I may have Mad Cows Disease! I've never gone about in short skirts and wee strappy tops when it's friesian so I don't think that's right.

 

[emerald green]

Thanks for the detailed response, much appreciated. Yes it would have been nearly twenty years ago.
I'm age restricted now I believe but been told I would be accepted if an emergency call goes out for a certain blood type.

Thailand probably still has age restrictions with a blanket oh youre x age we cant accept your donation, but in the UK there are now no restrictions based on someones age. (though its a wee bit tighter eg the person has to be a regular donor, and off course as we age we take much more medications etc). ... but fit and healthy oldies are as welcome as anyone!

The general rule of thumb in keeping the blood supply safe is we cant harm the donator (no point making someone ill to save an ill person, cant harm the people collecting the blood, and lastly doesnt harm the recipient).

Much as it was nippy, and we lost you, you can be really proud of your altruism. You did your bit and there will be folk alive today because of you!

 

[emerald green]

I got a blood transfusion about 25 years ago (it's OK I'm still in credit at the bank having given gallons before that ).

I was told afterwards I wouldn't ever be able to give blood again as I may have Mad Cows Disease! I've never gone about in short skirts and wee strappy tops when it's friesian so I don't think that's right.

.... but yes if you were previously transfused, you are unable to donate agian..... but like bankokhibby, you did your bit, and there will be people walking the earth still today because of what you did in the past. Thats amazing to me.

 

[southfieldhibby]

Yes,the parking up at Lauriston is anightmare for donors, and affect the footfall up their greatly. Theres so many reason why a particular venue can stop holding donor sessions, but I actually didnt know we stopped going there for a time.... that would have left the much smaller Northfield venue (which Im not sure is still used) or Leith Town hall, which is a bit aof a trek for Porty residents. Woudl have thought that Porty was always viable population wise, so their must have been another reason they stopped going there.

Genuinely a fantastic thing to do, and using up your own time to do it. Your donation will have already been used and basically might have saved the lives off up to 3 people, from the youngest baby to the oldest pensioner and all inbetween. It really is a gift people like yourself give.

Only 30/40 minutes and you get a cup of tea and a biscuit! I'm really queezy with needles too, but the staff are great and make it zero stress.

 

[paigntonhibby]

Only 30/40 minutes and you get a cup of tea and a biscuit! I'm really queezy with needles too, but the staff are great and make it zero stress.

We used to give it abroad in the 60s and 70s. Used tae get a beer after

 

[emerald green]

Only 30/40 minutes and you get a cup of tea and a biscuit! I'm really queezy with needles too, but the staff are great and make it zero stress.

Unfortunately when covid hit the first thing that went was the cuppa at the end!... Now its a carton of fresh orange or apple sitting up on the bed after wee rest, post donation, then its help yourself to biscuits on the way out.

Really appreciate the positive comments on the thread South field; loads of folks feel queezy around needles and blood and for folks like yourself, its an ever greater commitment. Hope it encorages others to give it a bash....
.. I mind wen I used to work at the sessions, the first time of handling a full blood pack and it was warm!, was a revelation. Also, you could quite quickly see the difference in smokers and non smokers blood. The smokers blood generally darker as it has less oxygen running through,non smokers blood being quite a few shades lighter; conversly a smoker can have greater iron levels than a non smoker.... just wee weird things I found when I first started too long ago...


There is another procedure done in the centres called apheresis. Its where we take a donation but it goes through a machine and collects the platelets (which clot bleeds) and returns all the red cells etc back to the body (and the result is just theplatelets which actually resemble the colour of piss).... the radgest thing about that is that say a donor has had a couple of eg bacon rolls in the morning, you can literally see the fat going through the tubes and back into the body!