The Role of Blood Donation in Healthcare

Presented by Peter Hudson Clinical Specialist in Blood Transfusion

WHERE DO WE GET OUR BLOOD SUPPLIES FROM?UK sourced from voluntary unpaid donors

Collected and processed by the National Blood Service

WHY GIVE BLOOD? Over 35,000 donations weekly

- 1.4 million donors- Only 4% of people give blood 10-15% donor loss per year Donors dont give every time Constantly topping-up

WHO ARE THE NATIONAL BLOOD SERVICE? Part of the National Health Service

Provide blood and blood products to hospitals

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BLOOD DONATION 1666: First successful blood transfusion

1900: Four Human blood types discovered

1946: National Blood Service Launched

Transfers oxygen from the lungs

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS BLOOD? Communication System within body

Average person has 5 litres of blood

COMPONENTS AND THEIR ROLES Red Cells

- Distribute oxygen and nutrients- Contain haemoglobin White Cells

- Fight infection- Several different types

COMPONENTS AND THEIR ROLES Platelets

- Form a plug to stop bleeding- 5 day shelf-life Plasma

- Carries other blood cells- Carries Albumin and Factor Viii

BLOOD TYPES

AntigensA and B antigens Rh Antigen

A, B, AB and O

BLOOD TYPES

different communitiesBLOOD AROUND THE WORLD Prevalence varies across the world

- B more common in South Asian people than Westerners- Anthropology Some blood conditions are more common in

- Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassemia- Events of the past, e.g. plague

WHO NEEDS BLOOD? How many units get used?

- Open heart surgery = 2-8 red cell units, 6 platelet units

- Car accident = 4-40 red cell units

RECIPIENT STORIES

BROOKE CORNWELL 2 years old has received 27 units of blood

Has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia

Needs blood every month to live

LUKE CRAIG Involved in a horrific car crash

Internal bleeding and tear in his heart

Emergency operation 24 units of blood

RECIPIENT STORIES

MIKE AUSTIN Severe motorbike accident

Leg destroyed artery damaged

Received 33 units of blood

RECIPIENT STORIES

AWELE NWOSU-AKEH 17 year old with Sickle Cell Anaemia

Receives blood every 4 weeks

Blood allows her to have a normal life

RECIPIENT STORIES

KEIRA Kostmanns syndrome

Bowel removed

9 units of red cells and 7 of platelets

RECIPIENT STORIES

NISA HEYS Has Thalassaemia Major

Received over 1300 units of blood so far

Has transfusions every 3 weeks

RECIPIENT STORIES

CAN YOU DONATE? Most common criteria we check are:-TattoosPiercingsTravelMedication

You will always be asked to fill out a Donor Health Check questionnaire

You must be aged between 17-65 to donate for the first time

The starting age for blood donation is 17, this is the safe age for donating as your body is developed enough to donate such a large quantity of blood.

As long as you become a first time donor a couple of months before your 65th birthday you can continue donating indefinitely unless medical conditions dictate otherwise. Before you had to stop donating after the age of 70, but having listened to donors this age limit has now been removed from taking on these comments on board and carrying out research.

In most cases people don't realise that they can donate blood, all they have to do is ask the question as rules and regulations are always changing. You must always call us on 0300 123 23 23 to find out and not assume from what you have been told by your family and friends.

If you have had a tattoo or piercing you now only have to wait 4 months before you can donate again. This used to be longer but with research there is now a shorter wait. If you have any infections they will show up in this time frame.

If you have travelled to a hot country such as India and Africa there could be Malaria prevalent, you would therefore need to wait six months from your return to the UK until you can go to a blood donation session and donate again.

When you go to give blood, after the six months are up, please let the staff know that you have been travelling. They will then ask you some further questions which will act as an extra safety check to ensure that you are OK to give blood on the day.

Medication is the big one which may rule if you can donate or not. You should always ask us the question and we will identify if you can or cant. If we cant tell you then we will ask you to call our contact centre on 0300 123 23 23 and they will be able to tell you. All you have to tell them is the medication, what it is for, frequency and dosage you may be surprised to find out that you can actually donate!

With improved research and testing guidelines are always changing and certain medications are safe for you to donate with. For example if you have type two diabetes and take certain medication you can now donate blood, this is also the case with some blood pressure tablets. All you have to do is double check the medication to make sure it is safe for your to donate. Your safety and that of the recipient is always our main concern.

The DHC has various questions regarding your lifestyle, travel, medication etc. You will need to fill this out every time and forms the criteria for donating. This form will then be reviewed in a private screen with a Donor Carer to ensure that everything is ok for you to donate.

CAN YOU DONATE? (MYTHS)

Many myths come about from a lack of awareness, education, ignorance and Chinese whispers!

People need to find out the correct information from the National Blood Service be it at a recruitment event, picking up the phone or logging on to the internet. This is why people like us come out to 6th Forms and colleges to talk to people to dispel some of these myths and educate you in the right way giving you the correct information.

NO - We only take out 470ml of blood (3/4 pints)

- Thats why it depends what you weigh- The heavier you weigh the more blood you have.- You have to weigh 7stone 12lb (50kg) or above to be a donor

HIGHLY UNLIKELY- Everything we use is single use

- Everything is packed up and opened up in front of you- Everything is done to minimise the risk of infection

YES WE DO- We need all blood groups all the time

- Blood has a shelf life. Red cells = 35 days Platelets = 5 days- We lose 10 - 15% of our donor base every year (18,000 donors)

ON OCCASIONS WE DO- Blood is sometimes used for: EDUCATIONAL, TRAINING, RESEARCH PURPOSES

ONLY A LITTLE Out of the whole process only two part where there will be any discomfort:-

Check iron levels (Think small pin prick!)Collect 470ml of blood ( 3/4 pint) (Small scratch)

TAKE PRECAUTIONS We advise that you dont treat this like some blood tests where they say nil by mouth, we advise that you have something to eat and drink a couple of hours before your donation. Food, Drink, Relax!, Aftercare, If you do feel faint tell someone!

THE DONATION PROCESSMaking the callFill out the questionnaireArrive at sessionThe donationAftercare

Explain that we will invite donors to a local session matched up from their postcode. If this is not suitable we will send them a list of other session in a 5 mile radius which they can pick and choose to go to.

Welcomer will ask you to read some donor guidelines. You will have to read this every time you donate as rules for donating are always changing and donors need to be made aware of this.

Here you will read the guidelines and fill out the DHC if you haven't already done so.

Here you will be asked additional questions by the donor carer who will also check your iron levels to make sure you have enough iron in your body to donate. This is where a pin drop amount of blood taken and put in a solution. The blood must drop within 15 seconds to show that you have enough iron in your body.

DONOR ETHNICITY25% of the South Asian ethnic population are blood group B and only 9% of Western Europeans share this group B

BME recruitment is very important to us

Some blood groups are far more common within minority groups.

25% of Asians are blood group B, whereas only 9% of West Europeans share this blood type. This can have an impact on treatments people are receiving. If someone was to receive a transfusion from a person with the same blood group in their own community it is likely to improve the quality of their treatment as there are various antigens commonly shared from people within the community.

Some blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia and Thalassaemia are much more prevalent within ethnic minorities.

Sickle CellSickle cell anaemia is a serious inherited blood disease in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells. Sickle-shaped means that the red blood cells are shaped like a "C. Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped. Sickle-shaped cells dont move easily through your blood vessels. Theyre stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels. The clumps of sickle cells block blood flow in the blood vessels that lead to the limbs and organs. Blocked blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.

Normal red blood cells last about 120 days in the bloodstream and then die. In sickle cell anaemia, a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells occurs because sickle cells dont last very long. Sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days. The bone marrow cant make new red blood cells fast enough to replace the dying ones hence the need for regular blood transfusions.

If you have the full condition unfortunately you cannot donate blood however if you have the trait you can donate blood. People who have sickle cell trait dont have the disease, but they have one of the genes that cause it. We just have to be careful who we give the blood to.

ThalassaemiaThalassemia is an inherited blood disorder passed on from parents to children through genes. Thalassemia causes the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less haemoglobin than normal. Haemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen to all parts of the body. It also carries carbon dioxide (a waste gas) from the body to the lungs, where it's exhaled. The disorders is treated with blood transfusions, medicines, and other procedures.

There are specific campaigns to make people from the BME communities aware of the need for blood donors, such as the VIP Appeal.

DONOR ETHNICITY (cont) We need to build the British Bone Marrow Registry

Some tissue types are specific to certain ethnic groups of the population

The notion of blood donation does not enter personal and social spheres

KNOCK ON EFFECT BONE MARROW REGISTER!!!!!!!!

Hence why the chances of getting a match are much higher if you are white . . . There is a 1 in 3 chance of getting a bone marrow match if you are from a Caucasian background. There is a 1 in 100,000/150,000 chance of getting a match if you are from the ethnic communities.

This also increases the chances of a successful transplant.

70% of patients have to rely on a matched volunteer donor, identified through The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR). We need to continue to recruit more donors, particularly from ethnic communities. This is important as finding a suitable match, whenever a bone marrow/stem cell transplant is needed, is often difficult due to the lack of appropriate volunteers on the Registry.

If blood donation doesn't come up then it is not talked about and therefore we are working to educate and make people aware for the need of blood donors from the ethnic communities.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BLOOD? Kept cool then collected

Typed and tested

Banked and ready to go!

Components Separated

WHAT IS THE BLOOD TESTED FOR? VIRUSES

HIV 1 and 2

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

Hepatitis C Virus (HBC)

HTLV (Human T- cell Leukaemia Virus)

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

THEY DONT JUST COLLECT BLOOD Tissue

Bone Marrow

Cord Blood

Organs

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

Any Questions?

The starting age for blood donation is 17, this is the safe age for donating as your body is developed enough to donate such a large quantity of blood.

As long as you become a first time donor a couple of months before your 65th birthday you can continue donating indefinitely unless medical conditions dictate otherwise. Before you had to stop donating after the age of 70, but having listened to donors this age limit has now been removed from taking on these comments on board and carrying out research.

In most cases people don't realise that they can donate blood, all they have to do is ask the question as rules and regulations are always changing. You must always call us on 0300 123 23 23 to find out and not assume from what you have been told by your family and friends.

If you have had a tattoo or piercing you now only have to wait 4 months before you can donate again. This used to be longer but with research there is now a shorter wait. If you have any infections they will show up in this time frame.

If you have travelled to a hot country such as India and Africa there could be Malaria prevalent, you would therefore need to wait six months from your return to the UK until you can go to a blood donation session and donate again.

When you go to give blood, after the six months are up, please let the staff know that you have been travelling. They will then ask you some further questions which will act as an extra safety check to ensure that you are OK to give blood on the day.

Medication is the big one which may rule if you can donate or not. You should always ask us the question and we will identify if you can or cant. If we cant tell you then we will ask you to call our contact centre on 0300 123 23 23 and they will be able to tell you. All you have to tell them is the medication, what it is for, frequency and dosage you may be surprised to find out that you can actually donate!

With improved research and testing guidelines are always changing and certain medications are safe for you to donate with. For example if you have type two diabetes and take certain medication you can now donate blood, this is also the case with some blood pressure tablets. All you have to do is double check the medication to make sure it is safe for your to donate. Your safety and that of the recipient is always our main concern.

The DHC has various questions regarding your lifestyle, travel, medication etc. You will need to fill this out every time and forms the criteria for donating. This form will then be reviewed in a private screen with a Donor Carer to ensure that everything is ok for you to donate.

Many myths come about from a lack of awareness, education, ignorance and Chinese whispers!

People need to find out the correct information from the National Blood Service be it at a recruitment event, picking up the phone or logging on to the internet. This is why people like us come out to 6th Forms and colleges to talk to people to dispel some of these myths and educate you in the right way giving you the correct information.

NO - We only take out 470ml of blood (3/4 pints)

- Thats why it depends what you weigh- The heavier you weigh the more blood you have.- You have to weigh 7stone 12lb (50kg) or above to be a donor

HIGHLY UNLIKELY- Everything we use is single use

- Everything is packed up and opened up in front of you- Everything is done to minimise the risk of infection

YES WE DO- We need all blood groups all the time

- Blood has a shelf life. Red cells = 35 days Platelets = 5 days- We lose 10 - 15% of our donor base every year (18,000 donors)

ON OCCASIONS WE DO- Blood is sometimes used for: EDUCATIONAL, TRAINING, RESEARCH PURPOSES

ONLY A LITTLE Out of the whole process only two part where there will be any discomfort:-

Check iron levels (Think small pin prick!)Collect 470ml of blood ( 3/4 pint) (Small scratch)

TAKE PRECAUTIONS We advise that you dont treat this like some blood tests where they say nil by mouth, we advise that you have something to eat and drink a couple of hours before your donation. Food, Drink, Relax!, Aftercare, If you do feel faint tell someone!

Explain that we will invite donors to a local session matched up from their postcode. If this is not suitable we will send them a list of other session in a 5 mile radius which they can pick and choose to go to.

Welcomer will ask you to read some donor guidelines. You will have to read this every time you donate as rules for donating are always changing and donors need to be made aware of this.

Here you will read the guidelines and fill out the DHC if you haven't already done so.

Here you will be asked additional questions by the donor carer who will also check your iron levels to make sure you have enough iron in your body to donate. This is where a pin drop amount of blood taken and put in a solution. The blood must drop within 15 seconds to show that you have enough iron in your body.

BME recruitment is very important to us

Some blood groups are far more common within minority groups.

25% of Asians are blood group B, whereas only 9% of West Europeans share this blood type. This can have an impact on treatments people are receiving. If someone was to receive a transfusion from a person with the same blood group in their own community it is likely to improve the quality of their treatment as there are various antigens commonly shared from people within the community.

Some blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia and Thalassaemia are much more prevalent within ethnic minorities.

Sickle CellSickle cell anaemia is a serious inherited blood disease in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells. Sickle-shaped means that the red blood cells are shaped like a "C. Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped. Sickle-shaped cells dont move easily through your blood vessels. Theyre stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels. The clumps of sickle cells block blood flow in the blood vessels that lead to the limbs and organs. Blocked blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.

Normal red blood cells last about 120 days in the bloodstream and then die. In sickle cell anaemia, a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells occurs because sickle cells dont last very long. Sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days. The bone marrow cant make new red blood cells fast enough to replace the dying ones hence the need for regular blood transfusions.

If you have the full condition unfortunately you cannot donate blood however if you have the trait you can donate blood. People who have sickle cell trait dont have the disease, but they have one of the genes that cause it. We just have to be careful who we give the blood to.

ThalassaemiaThalassemia is an inherited blood disorder passed on from parents to children through genes. Thalassemia causes the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less haemoglobin than normal. Haemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen to all parts of the body. It also carries carbon dioxide (a waste gas) from the body to the lungs, where it's exhaled. The disorders is treated with blood transfusions, medicines, and other procedures.

There are specific campaigns to make people from the BME communities aware of the need for blood donors, such as the VIP Appeal.KNOCK ON EFFECT BONE MARROW REGISTER!!!!!!!!

Hence why the chances of getting a match are much higher if you are white . . . There is a 1 in 3 chance of getting a bone marrow match if you are from a Caucasian background. There is a 1 in 100,000/150,000 chance of getting a match if you are from the ethnic communities.

This also increases the chances of a successful transplant.

70% of patients have to rely on a matched volunteer donor, identified through The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR). We need to continue to recruit more donors, particularly from ethnic communities. This is important as finding a suitable match, whenever a bone marrow/stem cell transplant is needed, is often difficult due to the lack of appropriate volunteers on the Registry.

If blood donation doesn't come up then it is not talked about and therefore we are working to educate and make people aware for the need of blood donors from the ethnic communities.