Blood stocks

Blood stock status

Stock status explained

The National Blood Transfusion Committee's (NBTC) shortage plans for red cells, and platelets outline four phases for the supply of blood to hospitals, supported by a framework of actions for NHSBT and hospitals at each phase. The phases are:

• Green when circumstances are normal and where supply meets demand
• Pre-Amber when there is reduced availability of blood for a short or a prolonged period
• Amber when there is reduced availability of blood for a short or a prolonged period which impacts on clinical activity
• Red when there are severe, prolonged shortages which impact on clinical activity
  
  

Best practice

Please refer to: 

• Patient Blood Management initiatives
• Blood Stocks Management inventory management
  
  

To support stock sharing between trusts, or with independent hospitals, we have produced a service level agreement template (Word 70KB) for hospitals to use.

The stock we have available to issue is:

Red blood cell stock levels - text version

O- 7.50 days, A- 10.42 days, B- 3.33 days, AB- 5.68 days, O+ 6.68 days, A+ 7.40 days, B+ 7.78 days, AB+ 9.32 days

We aim to maintain 6 days of stock for red blood cells.

Platelet stock levels - text version

O- 2.20 days, A- 1.37 days, B- 1.81 days, AB- 1.50 days, O+ 1.22 days, A+ 1.87 days, B+ 1.82 days, AB+ 3.82 days 

We aim to maintain a minimum of 1 days' stock for platelets (except AB-).

When stocks are low we may need to offer substitutions (PDF 141KB) based on best transfusion practice.

Communications previously issued to hospitals about the Amber alert

25 July - Amber alert declared for group O red cells (PDF 166KB)

12 August - Our stock of group O red cells has shown some improvement but remains vulnerable. We continue to be at Amber level and ask that you maintain your Emergency Blood Management Arrangements for group O red cells (PDF 123KB)

21 August - Our stock of group O red cells has shown some improvement but remains vulnerable. We continue to be at Amber level and ask that you maintain your Emergency Blood Management Arrangements for group O red cells. (PDF 94KB)

11 September 2024 - Group O red cell stock has improved but remains vulnerable and we remain at Amber level. We’ve moved into Green status for groups B negative, A positive and AB negative red cells (PDF 463KB)

01 October 2024 - We remain at Amber alert status for group O red cells. However, we are now seeing a sustained fall in O D negative red cells. Without conditions changing, there is a risk that we will move to Red alert stock levels in three to four weeks time. Thank you for your support (PDF 158KB)

17 October 2024 - We remain at Amber alert status for group O red cells. Stock has improved which has reduced, but not removed, the risk of moving to Red Alert. Please sustain the actions required in an amber alert, particularly best transfusion and inventory management practice to avoid the need for additional measures. Thank you for your support. (PDF 91KB)

30 October 2024 - We remain at Amber alert status for group O red cells. Stock has improved but needs to be sustained. Please maintain the actions required in an amber alert, particularly best transfusion and inventory management practice to avoid the need for additional measures. Thank you for your support. (PDF 566KB)