Almost gave blood today (no black pudding content, just virtue signalling))

It's a good thing to do! And great that work let you in work time.

I used to do it years ago when a centre was near work. A few if us would go on afternoon, give blood and enjoy some tea and biscuits, before going back to the office. I'd do it again, but there no where remotely near now.

Good on you! 🙂 In the UK you give whole blood initially, then they might ask if you want to be tested to see if you can be a component donor and, if so, that's when you join the whizzy blood centrifuge thing. 🙂 I give platelets and plasma - you can give both much more frequently than whole blood (every 2 or 3 weeks, rather than 4 months or so), but whichever you can give, both whole blood and components are vitally important.

#ifyoucanyoushould

Good man.

Wish I could but as I've had a transfusion I'm not allowed too...

I was told 2 weeks for plasma and 3 months for whole blood.

The extra cool thing about it is that I'm being asked to move office to a place that a) doesn't have an excellent 40km mtb trail network next to it and b) doesn't have a donation site next to it.

The powers that be will almost certainly allow me to work here at least once a fortnight to give plasma.

They kept changing the rules for me and I am now apparently permanently banned as I had a full blood transfusion during an operation in the 80's. Frustrating as I started donating over 35 years ago, but have only managed to give 8 pints. That's less than I used and I wanted to at least redress the balance. F-I-L got the 100 donations badge before he was too old to donate any more

Wish I could but as I’ve had a transfusion I’m not allowed too…

That's annoying. Is it because of potential contamination from the transfusion?

That’s annoying. Is it because of potential contamination from the transfusion?

Aye, when an old duffer knocked me off on my commute & broke my leg, I had something like 100ml during the operation to nail my leg. I was nearly on 50 donations at that point.

As a miserable consequence of Covid, you're no longer allowed unrestricted access to the biscuit tray when donating in the UK. Nurse's choice, one packet only.

I can just about suck up to the fact that I feel a bit rubbish for a week, but to take away my excuse to directly replace red blood cells with chocolate is the last straw.

I think you've confused virtue and signaling with virtue reporting reeksy. I made it to 56 before I was no longer allowed to give, and I'm viewing flaperon's report of biscuit rationing with horror!

There was no biscuit rationing when I went a couple of weeks. It was a free for all 🙂

Did for a bit, then stopped when kids arrived. Just re started and got to 25 last month.

Have been asked to do platelets as I've a rare-ish blood type, so I'm considering that. I'm in mid Kent & they want me to go to East London to do it. Not sure if I'm being selfish thinking its a bit of a trek & chunk of time?

I give platelets but cant do every two weeks. So once a month it is. Luckily the Bristol Donor Centre isn't too far away.
Its the only time I have the 80s favourite club chocolate bar. Sometimes mint, sometimes orange but oddly no fruit ones ever.
I do get annoyed though if they don't have them.
Whether this is true im not sure but apparently im one of only 3k a neg platelet donors in England.
So please think about donating whatever you can/willing to.

The UK* process for donors has definitely gone downhill. Used to be able to book in for your next appointment while at the session which was really handy. Now you have to do it online which gives you, (me at least!) the chance to forget.

No biscuit rationing in my area, in fact you have to make your own drink because there's no one doing it for you any more. I suspect both of these issues are cutting costs.

Here's a question, if this was one part of the NHS that was privatised, which I think it's ripe for as there's no free at the point of care would you still donate? Morally it's still the right thing to do, but I'm not sure I'd want a corporation making profit from something I'm giving for free.

*Or maybe it's just my region, don't know.

@andygreener

im one of only 3k a neg platelet donors in England

I'm A -ve too. Now you've made me feel guilty!

Mum reckons she gets just water in Exeter!

In Oz we have an app, so I can get all my details and bookings through that.

The UK* process for donors has definitely gone downhill.

They do like to make it hard. I'm O- CMV- and have been donating since I was 18, which is a long time ago. I'm having treatment for an eye problem that has no effect on my blood or suitability to donate. But Computer Says No and I've lost the will to fight with the system.

Tea and biscuits? Back in the day when I worked close to a donor centre they offered you a Guiness after you donated.

It's to do with anti bodies I believe

No biscuit rationing in my area, in fact you have to make your own drink because there’s no one doing it for you any more. I suspect both of these issues are cutting costs.

Probably not, the biscuits and tea side of things was always run by volunteers IME. Usually getting on a bit. it's avoidable close contact with quite a few people per session,so maybe a Covid thing? Though IME our older citizens (including my mum) have made the government approved transition from caution to abandon pretty much overnight.

Probably not, the biscuits and tea side of things was always run by volunteers IME

Ah, OK that makes sense.

Regular blood donor here, and can confirm no biscuit rationing at the Birmingham donation centre. A Orange Club and a pack of custard creams for me last time.

We have enough donors on site that the donation truck comes once a week and stays the *whole* day (24 hours) so they can cover all three shifts plus the office staff.
They must get at least a cubic metres of blood products out of the company.
And the company pays for the privilege, as it's all done on company time. (We have a time booking code for blood donation.)

I'm not allowed, because BSE.

I’m not allowed, because BSE.

Where’s that?

I donate plasma, would be every 2 weeks but a little more sporadic. It's hard to get an appointment in Twickenham. Comes out of me like water - was done in less than 25 min last week using their new machines. It's nice to see the cells centrifuged into a pot and then put back in!

You get credited with TWO units per donation of 700mL. I failed the screen for platelet donation (too low), was a regular blood donor at work until 1) they stopped coming and 2) I raced. It's hard to race when you are down on RBCs = negative doping is a thing.

And yes, Orange Club Biscuit and two pints of squash (one before and one after donation). No rationing.

I'm up to 46 donations plus one in Australia. I used to donate platelets but the donation centre was 45 minutes away so went back to normal donations. The sensation of having your blood pumped back in is weird!

My wife had to give up as she needed a blood transfusion after giving birth. My mum was banned as she had malaria as a child.

I've been absent for a while with children/work making it difficult to get there. The local place used to be just up the road and they'd come every few months and be there until about 7pm. Just looked online, they don't come there any more. The next nearest one to me this year is nearly an hour away, on 22nd December. Appointments available between 10:00 and 15:30. At which point I'll be working an hour away, in the opposite direction. The only one near my work is on 19th December, on a Monday, when I work from home. This doesn't seem as easy as it used to be. But at least now I've shown an interest they can keep sending me emails so I can feel guilty about it.

I've been donating sporadically but now I'm retired it easier to get to sessions so I'm up to 50-something. The frustrating thing is when they send you emails saying they need more blood in your area, but when you try to get an appointment to donate all the sessions are fully booked.

Where’s that?

It *was* Sweden until quite recently, looks like they're removed that restriction now though.

The UK* process for donors has definitely gone downhill. *Or maybe it’s just my region, don’t know.

There is no "UK process". Blood transfusions in Scotland are run by a different service. On the plus side - you get a tunnock tea cake. On the down side - their booking system is dreadful! A friend in England gets a notification when her blood products are used - whilst I imagine that is a PITA to set up (or is somewhat misleading) it is a nice touch to get repeat donations and to get people to share their stories on social and encourage new donors.

Used to be able to book in for your next appointment while at the session which was really handy. Now you have to do it online which gives you, (me at least!) the chance to forget.

I console myself with the Scottish system that if they were actually that desperate for blood they'd have made it easier - so its just sufficiently shit for the the supply level they need!

Here’s a question, if this was one part of the NHS that was privatised, which I think it’s ripe for as there’s no free at the point of care would you still donate? Morally it’s still the right thing to do, but I’m not sure I’d want a corporation making profit from something I’m giving for free.

I think in most countries with capitalist private healthcare blood donations are either managed by charity or the donors are paid

They do like to make it hard.

I don't think they do - I think they're just so under-resourced that it's the best they can do.

I was not allowed to donate last time as my red blood cell count was too low. I had done a 300km audax a few days before which I guess might have had something to do with it.

Does prolonged exercise effect the count? I bought some iron tablets after that so hopefully I can try again soon - I was told that I had to wait four months before booking another appointment.

Well, after living in Australia for over a decade finally people that lived in the UK in the peak BSE risk era are allowed to donate blood products.

Just checked.. still not OK in France!
The questionnaire asks this: "Avez-vous séjourné plus d’un an cumulé au Royaume-Uni entre le 1er janvier 1980 et le 31 décembre 1996 ?"

I’m booked in for my first blood donation for a couple of decades the week after next, despite having I’d a pint extracted every week for over a year (Heamachromatosis treatment). Finally I’m allowed to donate rather than have it done in the hospital where they just incinerate it.

I don’t recommend donating weekly by the way- you don’t half get run down after a few months of it.

Does prolonged exercise effect the count?

Yes- my last donation failed the drop test so they did an additional one using a meter which had me just over the threshold so I was good to go. When I asked why, they asked if I had done any exercise that day as that can affect the count.