Blood Donors

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Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

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Blood Donor Session
Rolls Royce Leisure (Ballroom)
Skipton Road, Barnoldswick BB18 6HJ
If you have never given blood before please give it a go. Currently only 4% of people eligible to donate are supporting everyone else in the country. This is a very sad statistic, don't be one of the 96%, help bump up the 4% to a more respectable figure.
It is not difficult, less than an hour to do something amazing. Make the commitment and help save lives.

Click the link below to visit the Blood Donor site which has all the information for both new and regular donors. New Donors can check eligibility and register, existing donors can book appointments. You will not be turned away if you turn up on the day but registering in advance will help to save a bit of time. You can also check for donor sessions anywhere in the country, so all the non Barlick residents don't need to feel left out
Anyone who cannot give blood on medical grounds is excused, everyone else, register and commit an hour to help saving lives.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Tardis »

Very worthwhile

I did, and was a donor until they told me I couldn't anymore.

I think I got to over 50, still have the badges somewhere
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

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Less than an hour of your time to do something amazing.

If you are contemplating becoming a new donor and don't know what to expect, take a look at the virtual donation session on the Blood Donor website. That shows all the procedure from walking in through the door to the refreshments at the end.



Don't take any notice of Tony Hancock either, "A pint! that's almost an armful". I have been offering the same arm for a long time now and its still not empty :laugh5:

Please make the commitment and become a blood donor at your next local session. Drop a post in this thread to let us know how you went on.
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Re: Blood Donors

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I posted this on the old forum but I think it is worth repeating on the new site for reference, just to remind folk what it's all about. Sorry to those who have read it before, for those who have not, sign up and help change the statistic.

Image


4% of the population currently donate blood, not a very inspirational figure by any means. I was wondering what that actually meant in a place like Barlick. So I set about trying to find out.
Searching for demographic details for Barlick on Google took me to the "Pendle District Profile 2011" on the council website which is a very interesting document that has the low down on all sorts of statistics for Pendle. Some of the information is based on the 2001 census so it may not be absolutely 100% accurate but near enough for an idea of what I wanted to know.

I was interested in the number of people who are eligible to donate blood in Barlick against the number who actually do.

According to the report, the population of Barlick (Coates and Craven wards) is 11,100.

61% are aged 20 -64. Eligability age for donation is 17 - 65 so I have bumped this figure up to 63% who may be eligible giving a total of 6993 potential donors.

Of course not all of the 6993 will be able to donate for various medical and other reasons but even if we said that only half of those eligible could actually donate it would still be nearly 3,500 who could.

The quoted 4% is based on anyone eligible in the age range so if we apply this to the Barlick population who are in range it actually means that about 280 people donate. From conversations with the staff at donor sessions, I think this is somewhere near what they get on a very good day.

On the other side of the coin and allowing for those who cannot donate for whatever reason it means that 280 do and 3220 eligible healthy people do not. A pretty sad statistic really.

Come on Barlickers, lets buck the trend, new donors book your appointment and post on here to say you are going to do something amazing.

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Re: Blood Donors

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Sorry, not letting this be buried under a newshound report that has no relevance to Barlick. We really do need a calendar module.

It's today anyway, Rolls Royce Ballroom 13.15 - 15.15 and 17.00 - 19.00
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

I give blood in Leyland, book a time, in, out, not a problem. Everyone should do it.
Unless there is a health reason for not donating, I think everyone should and if not, they should not be given donations if needed. That I have no doubt will have opened a can of worms.
They should have a slogan----"if you don't give blood, don't expect it to be given to you".

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Re: Blood Donors

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Well done Gloria, like you say it's not difficult. I don't subscribe to your view of "nothing given nothing gained" but do support any move towards an opt out for organ donation rather than the existing opt in. It would make it so much easier to help thousands of people. Needs a shift in mind set or public perception though to get it adopted. The countries that do have this policy have great success with it.

National Blood and Transplant is bracing itself for a downturn in donations due to the forthcoming extra bank holidays for the Jubilee and the impact of the Olympics. They published a press release to this effect at the tale end of last year. Even more important for more people to donate to counter the potential shortfall.

Press Release attached:
281211.pdf
I don't work Wednesdays now so I have shifted my appointment from the early evening one that I used to get when working full time to one in the afternoon session. I'm on at 14.05 today. I thought it would leave a spare session for someone who is working. Should see a different set of faces.

Anyone who decides to give it a go for the first time can turn up without an appointment, you will not be turned away and will be made very welcome.
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Re: Blood Donors

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Just been to donate to find that today's sessions have had to be cancelled. I spoke with someone who was coming out who said that there was some building work going on which had exposed some asbestos or something which had to be dealt with. The crew were taking out all the beds when I arrived so it must only have happened recently or they would not have set up in the first place. I assume all the kit will have to be cleaned. Must be very frustrating for the team and of course 250 - 300 units of blood missing. The supply v demand is tenuous enough to start with without blips in the system like this.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

Crikey, I bet they will be ringing you up to book another appointment.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Whyperion »

Perhaps they should make it compulsory to put Blood Donor adverts after every episode of Casualty/Holby / Police Camera Stop and Real Rescues.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

What a good idea Whyperion.
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Re: Blood Donors

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Free as well. Like the old community service responsibility that TV stations used to have to fund.
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Re: Blood Donors

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I was speaking with the Rolls Social Club Manager last night who informed me that the decision to cancel the session was made by the Blood and Transplant Service Manager. It seems it was actually due to excessive dust readings in the air, despite the fact that full screening of on-site building works had been undertaken. There was no incidence of asbestos being at the root of the problem.

I only reported what I was told by another donor who had just been turned away on arrival. Top and bottom of it was that the service lost 250 - 300 units on the day which is a pity.
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Re: Blood Donors

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A nice letter from NHS Blood and Transplant this morning apologising for the cancelled session at Rolls Royce Leisure.

Quote: "Unfortunately due to the nature of the building work that was taking place within the venue, we had no alternative but to cancel the session on the day."

The letter goes on to say that my pre-booked appointment time will be transferred to the next session scheduled for Wednesday 6th June 2012.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

These things happen, just one of those things.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

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Blood Donor Session
Rolls Royce Leisure (Ballroom)
Skipton Road, Barnoldswick BB18 6HJ
Wednesday 6th June 2012
13.15 - 15.15 and 17.00 - 19.00


If you have never given blood before please give it a go. Currently only 4% of people eligible to donate are supporting everyone else in the country. This is a very sad statistic, don't be one of the 96%, help bump up the 4% to a more respectable figure.
It is not difficult, less than an hour to do something amazing. Make the commitment and help save lives.

Click the link below to visit the Blood Donor site which has all the information for both new and regular donors. New Donors can check eligibility and register, existing donors can book appointments. You will not be turned away if you turn up on the day but registering in advance will help to save a bit of time. You can also check for donor sessions anywhere in the country, so all the non Barlick residents don't need to feel left out
Anyone who cannot give blood on medical grounds is excused, everyone else, register and commit an hour to help saving lives.
Ian
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

In addition to the previous post, I have just received my invitation for the session above. Along with the normal medical questionnaire and processing form there was a leaflet explaining that male donors can now donate 4 times per year instead of the normal 3. This is due to males generally having more stored iron than female donors. The donation rate for females remains the same at 3 times per year.

The information leaflet can be viewed online on the link below.

Male Donation Frequency - New donation limits for men
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Re: Blood Donors

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I have been thinking about the new donation limits for men as in the post above. Unless the Blood Service is going to come 7 times per year there will be no opportunity for males to give 4 times a year.
The present schedule is every 4 months, this suits the female donors. If they were to change the schedule to every 3 months this would mean that the ladies could not donate at every session. If they leave it at 4 months, the gents have no opportunity to give the extra donation. Even seeking out another session elsewhere would not work as that would have a knock on effect for every other donation.
I suppose the 12 week cycle for men will come into it's own in times of appeal for extra stocks such as has happened at Christmas or in wintertime.
There has to be some way of getting more out of the 4% - 5% who donate. I will make a point of asking how they intend to take advantage.
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

NHS Blood and Transplant have launched:

Image

Which aims to encourage people to donate blood before major events such as the Queens Jubilee or the Olympic Games.

Be a part of Team Give Blood!

Click the link above to find out more.
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Re: Blood Donors

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New appeal calls for donors of all blood groups to make an appointment now.

Give Blood - Body - Art-ery

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has launched an appeal for donors to help boost stocks to 30% above usual levels by the start of the Olympic Games in July.

New donors can register here
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

I am booked in to give blood on 12th June, they rang me over a week ago to check I was still going-----which I am. I don't think they have rung me so far in advance before.
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Re: Blood Donors

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Yes Gloria, I got a call a couple of weeks ago as well. I think the service is trying to shore up the donations as the number of major events during the summer months is going to make a significant difference to the stocks. Hence the number of different appeals that have been launched over the last few months.

There will be strain on the supplies caused by donors attending the events and the service is also expecting above average demand with a potential for more accident and emergency action.

As you are no doubt aware the availability of supply at any one time is tenuous to say the least, some of the groups more than others. 4% - 5% supporting the rest of the population does not really compute whichever way you look at it.

It is difficult to understand why the vast majority of people do not donate. I think if push came to shove and a close relative, son, daughter, father, mother was in need of blood most people would donate without a second thought. If this assumption is correct why can't those same people donate anyway?
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by Gloria »

I also find it difficult to understand why more people don't donate. A friend of mine gave up after she heard some blood stocks were sold abroad, she rang them to query this and they didn't deny it----
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Re: Blood Donors

Post by PanBiker »

A reminder, the donor session in Barlick is this Wednesday down at Rolls Social Club in the Ballroom. Afternoon and evening sessions.
New donors can still register by going to the website or turn up on the day. You can find the links in various posts above.
Now that I work part time. I shall be going at a different time than previously. I changed my after tea slot to the afternoon session to free my evening slot up for anyone who is working full time. I will be seeing a completely different crowd of Barlickers and hopefully some new recruits.

So come on now, get your sleeves rolled up and do something amazing.
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Re: Blood Donors

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There were one or two new donors at the session yesterday, post in here if you were one of them and are reading this.

It was my first time at the afternoon session as I have always had an evening appointment previously.
I have to say that each time I visit the process seems to improve in one way or another. It is hard to see whereabouts in the process this is, I think it is lots of small changes that have been introduced that all add up to a better and more efficient service.

From start to finish I was only in the place for 40 minutes and that included my tea and biscuits after the donation. The breakdown was something like this.

Arrive at Rolls 5 minutes before my appointment (14.05), the session has been up and running for just over an hour.

I book in and hand over my appointment and medical questionnaire, take my pint of water and wait to be called to screening (5mins)

Called to screening and iron level testing, this took about 5 minutes including the chat to the nurse.

Medical screening and haemoglobin levels OK so consent signed and moved to waiting area.

I am called after about 5 minutes, 3 or 4 people are ahead of me before my paperwork comes to the top of the pile.

I choose my donation arm (right) and the bed is set up in the correct orientation for me. I wait another 5 minutes for the cannulation nurse to get to me. In the meantime another nurse has set up the donation pack and put the pressure cuff on my arm. The cannulation nurse I get is Julie and I have to say she is very good at what she does. She chooses a vein and sets the donation cannula and I can honestly say I did not feel a thing.

Donation time takes about 12 - 15 minutes. The donation complete alarm brings Steve who comes to finalise the session. He seals and barcode tags all my donation phials and donation pack and then removes the cannula. I stay on the bed for a few more minutes until he is sure I am not bruising and checks that I feel OK.

A brew and a biscuit takes another 5 minutes or so. The nurse in charge of the refreshment station makes me an appointment for the next session which will be on the 27th September.

It's a credit to the team from NHS Blood and Transplant that it all works like clockwork. I forgot to ask about the new 12 week donation frequency for men and how it is meant to slot into the existing regime. The only way that I can see it working is that there will be definite benefits in times of appeals for extra stocks as more males will be eligible to turn up.

I hope this short description of the session and how easy it is to donate will help any potential new donors to make the commitment. I would be really nice to hear from anyone who has just made their first donation and their thoughts on how they found the experience.
Ian
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