Yorkshire Air Ambulance issues 'urgent' call for blood donors

The NHS urgently needs donations from O negative and O positive donors, as these blood types are crucial for emergency medical services including YAA.

O negative blood, known as the universal donor type, is especially important as it can be safely given to any patient, regardless of their blood type.

Due to the short shelf life of blood, which is only 35 days, maintaining a steady supply is essential throughout the year.

The national shortage has been exacerbated by a recent cyber-attack on a London hospital as well as unfilled appointments at donor centres, particularly affecting O type blood stocks.

YAA operations manager Paul Holmes said: “As a service that provides life-saving emergency care, we rely heavily on blood supplies to perform roadside transfusions for patients facing life-threatening injuries.

“Without adequate blood supplies, particularly O negative, which is universally compatible, our ability to carry blood on board could be compromised, jeopardising patient outcomes."

Between January 1 and August 1 this year, YAA attended 808 patients, with 22 receiving crucial blood transfusions at the scene of an emergency.

The recipients included 14 males and eight females, ranging in age from 18 to over 75-years-old.

The most common incidents requiring blood transfusions were road traffic accidents and other trauma-related incidents, such as assaults and falls.

Paul added: “We strongly urge eligible donors to book appointments at their nearest donor centres immediately—your donation could indeed be the difference between life and death for someone in need."