The NHS has warned that it continues to face a “challenging” blood shortage, as it calls for 200,000 new donors to come forward.Concern over blood stocks prompted the health service to issue an “amber alert” last year, meaning supplies were running low enough to have an impact on patient treatment.Supplies have remained low ever since, with officials warning there is a “critical” need for more donors who have O negative blood, which can be given to the majority of patients.NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), the body that oversees England’s blood donation system, said the number of regular donors needs to rise from around 800,000 to more than one million to maintain a safe and reliable supply.NHSBT chief executive Dr Jo Farrar said: “Our stocks over the past 12 months have been challenging. If we had a million regular donors, this would help keep our stocks healthy – you’d truly be one in a million.”There is a pressing need to avoid a “red alert”, which would mean demand far exceeds capacity, threatening public safety, NHSBT added. The body’s chief medical officer said such an alert could see patients waiting longer for treatment.Dr Gail Miflin told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It can mean, if you’re not urgently needing blood, that you may be delayed or have an op …
