NHS has a duty to to blood donors and patients

IN response to the letter from Alec Denton (Yorkshire Post, June 18) I would like to comment on his experience of donating blood in Guiseley.

NHS Blood and Transplant has a duty of care to its blood donors and also to patients receiving vital blood transfusions. We now ask donors to drink 500mls of water before they donate, as research shows that they are less likely to have an adverse reaction, such as light-headedness or fainting.

We also ask donors who are travelling to the United States or Canada between the months of April and November to refrain from giving blood for 28 days after they return.

This is owing to the small risk of West Nile Virus which can be transmitted by blood and for which we don’t currently test.

I’m sorry that Mr Denton felt that the staff were too aggressive in their approach. It is never our intention to make donors feel anything but appreciated and we value every single donation that we receive.

Mr Denton also comments that he can’t donate blood in Guiseley any more as the session no longer runs. Although this is the case, it’s important to note that the venue we were using wasn’t suitable – owing to lack of parking and unloading difficulties – so we are now asking donors to come to Rawdon, only 1.7 miles away.

Further information on becoming a blood donor can be found by visiting www.blood.co.uk or by calling the Donor Line on 0300 123 23 23.