Coronavirus: Blood donors needed after 15% drop, says NHS

The NHS is urging blood donors to keep their appointments during the coronavirus outbreak.

It said donations were 15% lower than expected mid March, amid fears donors are feeling unsure about safety and whether sessions are still going ahead.

A spokesman said the impact of the drop was minimal but must be addressed.

NHS Blood and Transplant said calls to its contact centre to ask if donation sessions were going ahead went from around 30 to around 500 a day.

It said stocks remain “good” currently, but officials are keen to reduce uncertainty by maintaining a regular amount of donations over the coming months.

The NHSBT said that potential donors need to make sure they are well enough to visit a clinic, and should stay away if they have a high fever or persistent cough.

The Healthwatch Sefton Information and Signposting service has contacted the NHS Blood and Transplant service and they confirmed all of the donations centres are open but people have to register to become a blood donor and then make an appointment to go along.

You can do this by going on to their website or call: 0300 123 23 23 where you will can register and book appointments on the same line.

There are extra safety protocols in place due to COVID 19 but the service is in need of blood. Going out to donate blood is classed as essential travel so people are all right to do this.

The list of venues which are used for blood donations below is for Sefton but Burscough and Ormskirk have been included in case people are just over the border. You can select the most suitable venue when you book an appointment.

The Liverpool venue is for anyone in the Merseyside area to go to.

Southport: Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter day Saints, Preston New Road, Southport PR9 8PB

Southport: Holy Trinity Parochial Centre, Hoghton Street, Southport PR9 0PN

Southport: Theatre and Convention Centre, Promenade, Southport PR9 0DZ

Southport: Fleetwood Hesketh Social Club, Fylde Road, Southport PR9 9XH

Ainsdale: St. John Stone’s Parish Centre, 7 Sandbrook Way, Ainsdale, Southport PR8 3RN

Formby: Holy Trinity Parish Hall, Rosemary Lane, Formby L37 3HA

Maghull: Town Hall, Hall Lane, Maghull, Liverpool L31 7BB

Crosby: St. Helen’s Catholic Church, 112 Alexandra Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 7TQ

Netherton: The Park Hotel, Dunnings Bridge Road, Bootle L30 6YN

Aintree (Bootle Residents): Aintree Racecourse Co Ltd, The Aintree Centre, Ormskirk Road, L9 5AS

Burscough: Royal British Legion, Lord Street, Burscough, Ormskirk L40 4BZ

Ormskirk: The Civic Hall, Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1LN

Liverpool Blood Donor Centre: Unit 6, 2 Moorfields, 53 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2BS

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