Blood Donation

Blood donations are an essential part of our healthcare system. If we did not have volunteers giving blood, many medical procedures we take for granted could not take place.

Doctors and surgeons rely on blood donations to carry out life-saving and life-enhancing treatments every day.

How can I donate blood?

Thousands of blood donation sessions are held each year by NHS Blood and Transplant, so it's usually possible to attend one that is convenient for you.

You will need to answer some questions about your health and have a quick blood test before you can donate blood. This is to ensure there is no danger to yourself or someone else.

During a blood donation, a needle is used to collect 470ml (just under one pint) of your blood.

You will need to rest for a short while after a donation, and refreshments will be offered to stop you feeling faint or dizzy.

It is usually recommended that men allow 12 weeks and women 16 weeks between donations.

What happens during blood donation?

How is donated blood used?

In most cases, your blood will be separated into its component parts so it can be used to treat a variety of conditions. These components are:

• red blood cells – used to treat some types of anaemia and replace blood lost as the result of an accident
• platelets – used to treat problems with bone marrow, such as leukaemia and people with blood clotting disorders
• plasma – used to treat conditions where abnormal clotting causes bleeding, such as liver disease, and where large volumes of blood have been lost

Donated blood may also be used to improve the quality of life of people with a terminal illness.

Other types of blood donation

There are other types of blood donation that can be used to treat a number of conditions.

Cord blood donation

Cord blood – from the placenta and umbilical cord – can be donated after a baby has been born. However, a decision must be made before the birth.

Cord blood, which is rich in stem cells, can be used to treat a number of conditions, such as leukaemia.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born. It can be used to treat many life-threatening conditions.

For example, conditions such as leukaemia (cancer of the bone marrow cells) and problems with the immune system (the body's defence system) can be treated with a cord blood transplant.

After a baby is born, the placenta and umbilical cord are usually thrown away. However, as this is a rich source of stem cells, the NHS Cord Blood Bank was set up in 1996 to collect, process, store and supply cord blood for transplants.

Once the cord blood has been processed and frozen, it can be stored until a patient with a matching tissue type needs a stem cell transplant. Research has shown that units can be stored for up to 20 years. 

Mothers must give their consent for the cord blood and any part of the placenta or cord itself to be collected. Without consent, the placenta and cord blood will be thrown away. When giving consent for the donation, the mother gives up all future rights to the donation. You can register your interest in donating your cord blood on the NHS Cord Blood Bank website.

Cord blood can usually only be collected in hospitals where there are specially trained staff. Currently, these are:

• Barnet General Hospital
• Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow
• Luton and Dunstable Hospital
• Watford General Hospital
• St George's Hospital, London
• University College Hospital, London

This ensures that cord blood is handled correctly and stored in the NHS Cord Blood Bank for doctors to use for their patients.

In special cases, cord blood is also collected under the NHS when it is needed for an older child in the same family. These collections are arranged by NHS Blood and Transplant, and attempts are made to make the donation as convenient as possible. Preferably, the donation will be made at the nearest hospital with birthing facilities.

Some private companies also make cord blood collections for individual families for possible future use. However, the NHS does not support this type of collection, as the chances of using the cord blood in the future are extremely low.

Platelet donation

If you have a high platelet count in your blood, you may be able to directly donate platelets. The process is similar to giving blood normally, but often takes a bit longer.

A platelet donation involves using special equipment to separate platelet cells from donated blood.

Platelet cells are very useful for treating a range of conditions and situations, including:

• leukaemia (bone marrow cancer)
• excessive blood loss
• people who have just received a bone marrow transplant

The advantage of platelet donations is that a small amount can be used to treat several people. One donation is often enough to treat up to three adults, or 12 children.

The disadvantage is that donated platelets can only be stored safely for seven days. This means there is a constant demand for new donors.

Not everyone who can donate blood is able to donate platelets, because you need a higher-than-average platelet rate in your blood for the donation to be successful. Your platelet rate will be tested before the donation goes ahead.

Do not be alarmed if testing shows you have an average platelet rate and are unable to donate platelets. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

The donation procedure is similar to regular blood donation, except it takes slightly longer (about 90 minutes).

The rules for who cannot donate are similar to those for donating blood. However, you also cannot donate platelets if:

• you have taken aspirin, aspirin-containing medicines or piroxicam in the last five days
• you have taken a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug such as ibuprofen in the last 48 hours

Read more about who can make a blood donation.

Due to the specialised equipment needed to separate platelets from the blood, a donation can only be made at specialised platelet donation centres.

There are currently 24 donation centres in England, all located in larger towns and cities. A list of donation centres can be found on the NHS Blood and Transplant website.

Who can donate blood?

Most people between the ages of 17 and 66 can donate blood, although you must be in good general health.

To reduce the risk to recipients of donated blood, there are rules about who can and cannot donate.

For example, people who have ever had HIV, syphilis or hepatitis C can never donate blood. Having a recent tattoo, piercing or taking certain medication, may also mean you cannot donate blood.

Most people between the ages of 17 and 66 who weigh over 50kg (7st 12lb) and have a good level of general health will be able to donate blood.

If you are over 70, you need to have given blood in the last two years to continue donating.

Your blood volume may need to be estimated first if you are a women and you:

• are under 20 years old
• weigh under 65kg (10st 3lb)
• are under 168cm (5' 6") in height

It is usually recommended that women leave 16 weeks (4 months) and men 12 weeks (3 months) between donations.

People who cannot donate blood

Before donating blood, you will be asked to fill out a confidential donor health check form. This makes sure that your blood is suitable for donation.

Not everyone can donate blood and the donor health check form ensures that people receiving the blood are not exposed to harmful viruses or infections. It's also to avoid putting you at risk if there's a reason why giving blood might harm you.

If you are not sure whether you are able to give blood, call NHS Blood and Transplant on 0300 123 23 23 for advice.

You may not be able to donate blood if:

• you have had a serious illness or major surgery in the past
• you have had complicated dental work (it is safe to donate blood 24 hours after having a filling or seven days after a simple extraction)
• you have recently come into contact with an infectious disease
• you have had certain immunisations within the last four weeks
• you are currently on a hospital waiting list, or waiting to have tests

You should not give blood if:

• you have a chesty cough, sore throat or an active cold sore
• you are taking antibiotics or have finished a course of antibiotics in the last seven days
• you are pregnant or have given birth in the last six months
• you have had hepatitis A or jaundice in the last 12 months
• you have had a tattoo, semi-permanent make up or any sort of body piercing in the last four months
• a member of your immediate family has had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) – a rare condition that affects the nervous system and causes brain damage
• you have had acupuncture in the last four months, unless this was done within the NHS or by a qualified healthcare professional registered with a statutory body
• you have received human pituitary extract (a substance used in some growth hormone and fertility treatments before 1985)
• you have received blood during the course of a medical treatment or procedure since 1980

You should not donate blood for 12 months after having sex with:

• a commercial sex worker 
• someone who has injected drugs
• someone who has haemophilia (a condition that stops your blood from clotting normally) or another type of blood disorder that required clotting factor treatment
• someone who has been sexually active in parts of the world where HIV and AIDS are common – such as sub-Saharan Africa
• a man who has had oral or anal sex with another man (if you are female)
• a man (if you are male) – with or without a condom

You should never donate blood if you have ever:

• had HIV
• had hepatitis C
• had syphilis
• had human t-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)
• injected yourself with drugs
• worked as a commercial sex worker

More blood donors are needed

Although most people are able to give blood, only about 4% of the population donate regularly.

In England, around 8,000 blood transfusions are carried out every day, so there's a need for blood donations.

As blood can only be safely stored for a relatively short time, hospital blood stocks need to be continuously refreshed. Red blood cells can only be stored for 35 days and platelets (the part of the blood that helps prevent excessive bleeding) can only be stored for seven days.

In particular, blood donations are needed from black and Asian people because the current levels of black and Asian donors are very low. Certain ethnic groups often require certain blood types, so having donations from a wide range of ethnic groups is a more effective way of meeting the potential demand for blood.

Find out more about current blood stocks from NHS Blood and Transplant.

NHS Blood and Transplant

In England and parts of Wales, the blood donation process is overseen by NHS Blood and Transplant. This service relies on voluntary donations from the general public to keep the service running. Donating blood is a relatively quick procedure (it usually takes less than an hour) and is virtually painless.

The NHS Blood and Transplant website provides more information about how you can volunteer to give blood.

You can also book an appointment to donate blood near to where you live or work.

Case Study 1 - 'I was losing blood faster than it could be transfused'

Case Study 2 - 'I always tell myself that there are people who are worse off'