NHS appeals for O-type blood donations after cyberattack delays transfusions

An appeal has been launched for O blood-type donors to book appointments across England after the ransomware attack affecting major London hospitals.

NHS Blood and Transplant is appealing for O blood-type donations as this is safe to use for all patients. The cyber-attack means the affected hospitals cannot match patients’ blood at the same frequency as usual.

Several London hospitals last week declared a critical incident, cancelled operations and tests, and were unable to carry out blood transfusions after the attack on the pathology firm Synnovis, which Qilin, a Russian group of cybercriminals, is thought to have been behind.

Memos to NHS staff at King’s College hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ (including the Royal Brompton and the Evelina London Children’s hospital) and primary care services in London said a critical incident had been declared.

NHS Blood and Transplant is calling for O-positive and O-negative blood donors to book appointments in one of the 25 NHS blood donor centres in England to boost stocks.

The hospitals affected by the cyber-attack cannot match patients’ blood at the same frequency as usual, NHS Blood and Transplant said.

For surgeries and procedures requiring blood to take place, hospitals need to use O-type blood as this is safe to use for all patients. Blood has a shelf life of 35 days, so stocks need to be continually replenished, the NHS said.

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Source: The Guardian, 10 June 2024