A new system will alert blood donors via text message when their blood has been sent to a hospital for use. This new initiative is part of a plan to show the thousands of donors across England how important their donations are. The text message will tell donors when their blood has been dispatched, along with the name of the hospital where it has been sent.
NHSBT (NHS Blood & Transplant) announced their plan on World Blood Donor Day, hoping that it would help encourage current donors to continue to give blood, as well as inspiring others to donate.

“We are always looking at new ways to encourage donation and we hope that the new texting service will show how vital blood donations are used to help people in need,” said Mike Stredder, director of blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant. “While donors don’t get to meet the people who have benefited from their blood, our texts to donors will remind them that hospitals, and patients, rely on their donations.”

NHSBT say that they need over 6000 blood donation every day to treat patients in need across England, meaning that every year 200,000 new donors are needed as existing donors can no longer give blood. Most people between the ages of 17-65 are eligible to give blood, however most current donors are over 45. This means that NHSBT needs more young people over the age of 17 to start giving blood, to also ensure there is enough blood in the future.