|
Jun 2020
3:40pm, 30 Jun 2020
35,383 posts
|
HappyG(rrr)
I think I first gave in a Blood Bus in work car park - just cos it got you a skive off work for an hour. Plenty of support about then. But thereafter, always gone alone, I think. I've never felt faint at all. But I eat and hydrate a lot before and after and am usually driving there. I know I'm sluggish for a day or so after, so I avoid any speed work or very long runs for a couple days. I can usually do an easy, short run the next day no problem.
It's another one of those things I always think "Why doesn't everyone do it, it's so easy." But hey, not for everyone, I guess.  G
|
|
Jun 2020
3:53pm, 30 Jun 2020
6,639 posts
|
sallykate
I started giving when I was a student; I don't remember whether it was on my own but I'd have thought so. Just seemed like a Good Thing to do.
|
|
Jul 2020
7:51am, 1 Jul 2020
6,269 posts
|
Fragile Do Not Bend
My first donation was under the same circumstances as Happy. I’ve never fainted after a donation, but then I’ve never fainted ever.
I’m not sure the NHS could take many more donors than they already have. Going by how many complaints on here (and on their FB page) there were from people not able to book an appointments, they are pretty much at capacity. Before coronavirus anyway, I don’t know about right now.
|
|
Jul 2020
8:03am, 1 Jul 2020
2,077 posts
|
154 Rob
Now I'm booking appointments - I used to just turn up and wait for a space but with people being off work and so free or bored it seems they were fully booked.
My first time I turned up alone and I just lay on a spare bed(thinking that was what you did) - they thought I was feeling dizzy!
|
|
Jul 2020
8:40am, 1 Jul 2020
162 posts
|
ftrobbie
I gave blood on Monday, looked at when I could give blood next and every slot was available. So I don't hold the view that you cannot give blood, that has been true before and after covid-19.
However I have given NHSB&T feedback that "casual" donors, struggle to get in at short notice. Nottingham Blood Donor Centre is fully booked for the next 3 weeks. However after that you can get appointments every day, regular donors should have booked, so there is availability for new and existing donors to give. So the issue for the NHSB&T is how do you balance the desire for regular donations with people who cannot/ do not want to commit month(s) in advance. I had a job that had me moving around at short notice so for 2 years I would book appointments and then cancel them at short notice when I knew work would get in the way. Not ideal.
|
|
Jul 2020
8:50am, 1 Jul 2020
164 posts
|
ftrobbie
Just taken from the NHSB&T site
"Why do we need you to give blood?
We need new blood donors from all backgrounds to ensure there is the right blood available for patients who need it.
We need:
Nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand
Around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who can no longer donate
40,000 more black donors to meet growing demand for better-matched blood
30,000 new donors with priority blood types such as O negative every year
More young people to start giving blood so we can make sure we have enough blood in the future"
My challenge to them has always been, given that donating blood is altruistic why do you make it so damned hard to start? To which you get the platitudes of it's not, but the underlying impression is that it is not as easy as you could be and you need to be quite determined to succeed.
|
|
Jul 2020
2:49pm, 1 Jul 2020
6,271 posts
|
Fragile Do Not Bend
It might depend on the area, but certainly pre-COVID it was very hard to get an appointment where I live unless you booked almost as soon as the session became available. You’ve just go to look back through this thread (might be quite a few pages back) to see that plenty of others have had the same experience.
|
|
Jul 2020
5:35pm, 1 Jul 2020
170 posts
|
ftrobbie
FDNB, I do not doubt your circumstance and you are clearly someone who has a lot of commitment to donation. I can only comment on what I see and what I have seen. Perhaps the East Midlands is devoid of regular donors. As you say it might be location and that I am in the fortunate position of having a static centre that is open a minimum 5 days a week and selective days at weekends. The static centre moved premises to be in the city rather than on the outskirts and improved capacity from 4 plasma beds to I think 6 and 3 whole blood beds to I think 8, although it's hard to judge with the social distancing changes in place at the moment. So capacity is being laid down, just maybe not where the donors would like it to be
I have just had a look available appointments for my local mobile donation sessions. There are 8 over the next 5 weeks, 4 are fully booked, 4 have appointments available. At 3 months notice most have spaces, at 4 months they all have spaces. This is against having 30 sessions available at the regional centre. Other people's experience maybe different, and the true answer is that the days, times and locations may not work for them. That was my complaint to NHSB&T, if I work 20+ miles from home having appointments available during the day isn't going to help me donate. Some days I choose not to attend because of volunteering commitments. I am not defending NHSB&T but there will be a balance between sending out mobile units and using the static capacity they have at regional centres. Regional centres are more effective for them from a staffing perspective and getting us through the process etc.
From personal experience, the mobile unit stopped servicing work as the local council started charging them too much of a premium to use the leisure centre. They ran a monthly service just because we are a major employer. The session was open to all hence the reason it couldn't be on site and the council got involved. So more mobile sessions might be limited by budget constraints if they can service a lot of need out of static centres.
I would like NHSB&T to make it really easy and convenient to give blood but they have to deal with the logistics of making it cost effective and I know we supply the raw material for a cup of tea and a biscuit. There is nothing I would prefer than to not have to battle against rush hour traffic at the end of a workday and get home just in time for dinner and then go to bed. Obviously lockdown has changed that a bit.
Your mileage may vary. Have fun stay safe and keep donating
|
|
Jul 2020
6:38pm, 1 Jul 2020
2,078 posts
|
154 Rob
Text has arrived saying mine has been used in Leighton hospital, Crewe.
I've never been to Crewe but now my blood has!
|
|
Jul 2020
7:42pm, 1 Jul 2020
171 posts
|
ftrobbie
Cracking, I love it when they tell you where it ended up
|
