Plasma donation

Bristol begins it’s campaign for plasma donors as the Bristol centre is only 39% full each day

NHS adverts are going live in Bristol because there are not enough people donating plasma.

Plasma is used to make lifesaving medicines but the Bristol donor centre in Southmead Road is only around 39% full each day, with around 45 appointments going empty every week.

The adverts, across social media and public places, will be part of a sustained campaign to drive up donor numbers over the next six months.

The NHS relies on imported plasma medicines however global supplies are under long standing pressure due to rising demand. The pressure has increased due to coronavirus affecting donation in the USA. NHS Blood and Transplant started taking donations this year to bolster long term UK supplies but the number of donors is far behind target. Plasma donation is new and research shows only two in ten people know about it. Awareness is low because plasma donation restarted in April after a break of more than 20 years. (1) The 11 new plasma donor centres are in Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bristol, Chelmsford, Croydon, Manchester, Reading, Stockton, Stratford, and Twickenham.

Plasma is used to make medicines full of donor antibodies which fight bacterial and viral infections.

This medicine, known as immunoglobulin, is used to strengthen or stabilise the immune systems of people with rare, lifethreatening diseases. Around 740 people in the South West region received immunoglobulins last year. Alison Dent, Bristol Plasma Donor Centre Manager, said: “Plasma is a powerful, lifesaving part of your blood, which can be used to make unique, lifesaving medicines. “Since donation restarted we’ve had many fantastic people come in to donate but we still see too many empty chairs every day.

“We need your help. “In the next few months, we need thousands more people to start donating at our donor centre.

“Plasma donation is safe and easy, it doesn’t take long, and you will help save and improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the country.” The campaign will headline with the message that plasma is ‘the medicine in you’, emphasising that for some patients there is no alternative treatment is available.

Plasma makes up most of your blood. It’s the fluid that carries everything around the body, including the antibodies which can help the recipient fight infections. Plasma donation is similar to blood donation. In plasma donation, your blood is gradually run through a machine which separates out some of your plasma. Your red blood cells are returned to you, so you can carry on with your day as normal. To help save lives by donating plasma, call 0300 123 23 23, search ‘donate plasma’ or visit www.blood.co.uk/plasma