It can not be underestimated just how important blood is for effective healthcare provision. Of the numerous treatments people rely on for their wellbeing, blood is critical for as many as 22 different treatments, including surgery, child-birth, emergencies, end-of-life care, and treatments for various diseases.
To meet this need, 5,000 daily donations are needed from blood donors in the UK. The target is achieved through a small number of generous blood donors (approximately 3-4% of the eligible population donates blood at any one time).
But as well as retaining existing regular donors, there is an ongoing need to recruit new ones. Analysis suggests that there could be potential shortfalls in blood because of increasing demand from an ageing population and a reduction in the number of young donors.