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Permanent blood donation clinics 'may be more effective than mobile units' Permanent blood donation clinics 'may be more effective than mobile units'
(4 months later)
The tradition of volunteers going to the village hall or community centre to give blood may become less common, with more permanent clinics, complete with free Wi-Fi and bedside iPod docks, attracting a new cohort of younger donors, experts have said.The tradition of volunteers going to the village hall or community centre to give blood may become less common, with more permanent clinics, complete with free Wi-Fi and bedside iPod docks, attracting a new cohort of younger donors, experts have said.
As the blood service for England and north Wales examines whether it should reduce the minimum time between donations, a senior official has also questioned whether the sending of mobile units to rural areas always represents value for money.As the blood service for England and north Wales examines whether it should reduce the minimum time between donations, a senior official has also questioned whether the sending of mobile units to rural areas always represents value for money.
Lorna Williamson of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and Dana Devine of the Canadian Blood Services discuss ways of increasing blood supply in the Lancet medical journal as the world's richer countries look at ways of ensuring they have enough donors as their populations age.Lorna Williamson of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and Dana Devine of the Canadian Blood Services discuss ways of increasing blood supply in the Lancet medical journal as the world's richer countries look at ways of ensuring they have enough donors as their populations age.
Now email, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify and interactive websites are commonplace, they say, online discussion boards, appointments and news sections could increase donor loyalty.Now email, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify and interactive websites are commonplace, they say, online discussion boards, appointments and news sections could increase donor loyalty.
"With further development, this approach could also allow donors to complete health-check questionnaires online at home, avoiding a wasted journey if they are ineligible to donate," they say."With further development, this approach could also allow donors to complete health-check questionnaires online at home, avoiding a wasted journey if they are ineligible to donate," they say.
Although travelling long distances to collect donations might be socially desirable, it can be expensive to cart kit around the country, Williamson said.Although travelling long distances to collect donations might be socially desirable, it can be expensive to cart kit around the country, Williamson said.
"Blood services need to examine whether blood collection efforts can continue to be spread thinly, or should be concentrated on areas where more people are likely to donate … Blood collection in village halls and local schools is possible, but limits what can be done to improve the donor experience. Fixed donor sites potentially offer more digital-age facilities, such as free Wi-Fi and iPod docks at each bed.""Blood services need to examine whether blood collection efforts can continue to be spread thinly, or should be concentrated on areas where more people are likely to donate … Blood collection in village halls and local schools is possible, but limits what can be done to improve the donor experience. Fixed donor sites potentially offer more digital-age facilities, such as free Wi-Fi and iPod docks at each bed."
NHSBT already has 25 permanent centres, mainly for donating platelets – blood components vital for patients undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplantation or who have severe bleeding or blood disorders. The process requires more heavy equipment than so-called "whole blood" donation.NHSBT already has 25 permanent centres, mainly for donating platelets – blood components vital for patients undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplantation or who have severe bleeding or blood disorders. The process requires more heavy equipment than so-called "whole blood" donation.
Donation practices have already changed radically in the 50 years since Tony Hancock's famous blood donor sketch. Volunteers rest in a semi-sitting position on equipment more resembling a dentist's chair than a bed. Yet more than 90% of the near 2m "whole blood" donations from 1.6 million donors each year are still collected outside fixed sites, even if use of "bloodmobiles" visiting large employers or business parks, with donation happening in the vehicle, is less common than it used to be.Donation practices have already changed radically in the 50 years since Tony Hancock's famous blood donor sketch. Volunteers rest in a semi-sitting position on equipment more resembling a dentist's chair than a bed. Yet more than 90% of the near 2m "whole blood" donations from 1.6 million donors each year are still collected outside fixed sites, even if use of "bloodmobiles" visiting large employers or business parks, with donation happening in the vehicle, is less common than it used to be.
Only 4% of the population donates blood and only about 15% of those are between 17 and 24. The upper age limit for donation has been scrapped, but Williamson, NHSBT's medical and research director, said attracting more young blood donors was vital. "We expect to see an increase in demand for blood over the next 10 years as a result of an ageing population requiring more complex procedures, such as joint replacements and cancer therapies.Only 4% of the population donates blood and only about 15% of those are between 17 and 24. The upper age limit for donation has been scrapped, but Williamson, NHSBT's medical and research director, said attracting more young blood donors was vital. "We expect to see an increase in demand for blood over the next 10 years as a result of an ageing population requiring more complex procedures, such as joint replacements and cancer therapies.
"Attracting younger blood donors for the future is key, and we are doing a lot of work to modernise and attract such donors, for example, by developing mobile applications and making it easier for donors to interact with us online.""Attracting younger blood donors for the future is key, and we are doing a lot of work to modernise and attract such donors, for example, by developing mobile applications and making it easier for donors to interact with us online."
Williamson said rural collections would probably continue but might happen less often and last for longer.Williamson said rural collections would probably continue but might happen less often and last for longer.
NHSBT and scientists at Oxford and Cambridge universities are already conducting research involving up to 50,000 donors in what they say is the first study of its kind to see if the length of time between donations can be tailored depending on age, weight, diet and other factors. In England and Wales, the minimum period is 12 weeks for men and 16 for women, but in Scotland it is 16 weeks for both sexes. In other countries, it is as low as eight weeks. Donating blood can lower iron levels.NHSBT and scientists at Oxford and Cambridge universities are already conducting research involving up to 50,000 donors in what they say is the first study of its kind to see if the length of time between donations can be tailored depending on age, weight, diet and other factors. In England and Wales, the minimum period is 12 weeks for men and 16 for women, but in Scotland it is 16 weeks for both sexes. In other countries, it is as low as eight weeks. Donating blood can lower iron levels.
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