Blood stocks

Blood stock status

The stock status is Amber for group O red cells

The stock status is Pre-Amber for B D red negative red cells

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: 

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- 2.5 days, A- 10.2 days, B- 3.2 days, AB- 2.9 days, O+ 3.9 days, A+ 3.7 days, B+ 7.6 days, AB+ 9.7. days

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

Platelet stock levels - text version

O- 1.65 days, A- 1.91 days, B- 2.50 days, AB- 2.90 days, O+ 2.40 days, A+ 2.26 days, B+ 2.52 days, AB+ 3.57 days 

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

When stocks are low we may need to offer substitions. Information on substitutions and transfusing across blood groups is available in the guidance section of the platelet toolkit. 

Contingency reduced-dose apheresis platelets in the event of a severe shortage

Communications we have sent to hospitals about stock shortages