Tryst 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇮🇪  Jun 10, 2024

Are you Type-O (RH +ve or -ve) and permitted to give blood?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/10/nhs-appeals-for-o-type-blood-donations-after-cyber-attack-delays-transfusions

A ransomware attack on an outsourced pathology provider has left some NHS hospitals unable to type patients' blood fast enough for critical care; therefore, more Type-O than usual is needed for emergency transfusions.

Type-O donors are being encouraged to donate.

https://www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/campaigns/blood-donor-appeal/

#ransomware #nhs #GiveBlood

NHS appeals for O-type blood donations after cyber-attack delays transfusions

London hospitals struggling to match patients’ blood at usual speed – and O-type safe to use for all patients

The Guardian
Show threadTryst 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇮🇪  Jun 10, 2024

This is close to my heart on two points:

1) The NHS being forced to outsource is creating supply chain risks that are costing lives.

2) In January, I needed an emergency transfusion of 4 Litres of fluids and blood products to keep me alive during surgery.

Something that you may not be aware of is that people who have received a transfusion in the UK after 1980 are not permitted to give blood, due to the infected blood scandal. The availability of blood for transfusion is an issue that may not affect you now, but once it has (i.e. because you have had a transfusion), you won't be permitted to give blood.

Show threadAvon DeRussateJun 10, 2024
@tryst Given how good infectious agent screening is these days...that is ridiculous.
Show threadYksiJun 10, 2024

@avon_deer @tryst blood donation rules are antiquated sadly, especially when it comes to LGBT+ people.

For reference; I cannot donate… because my partner has had sex with a man….. 15 years ago…. Yet I can’t donate unless I abstain from sex for a time period (I think 6 months).

I queried the ridiculousness of this via work contacts and was told nope sorry… (granted, this was 5 years ago)

Rules need thoroughly going over tbh.

Show threadTryst 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇮🇪  
@Yksi @avon_deer 3 months, and only if that's with a new partner. And it's anal sex in general, rather than specifically gay sex. If you've been ploughing (or been ploughed by) the same person for the last three months, you can give blood.
Jun 10, 2024 at 11:36amWeb
Show threadYksiJun 10, 2024
@tryst @avon_deer this must have changed then. As it was a weird grey area where partner could donate as had not had anal sex with a man within the time frame… but because I had sex with partner I couldn’t donate. I argued back and forth for a few emails with blood service and they were adamant it was a no. So I gave up. I’m O- as well so really useful blood donor.
Show threadTryst 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇮🇪  Jun 10, 2024

@Yksi @avon_deer The most recent rules were implemented in 2021.

It has come a long way since "Ew. Gay blood."

Show threadYksiJun 10, 2024
@tryst @avon_deer ohhhh in which case yes that’s definitely after I inquired! Maybe I’ll go back to donating then 🤔🤔