Blood stocks

Blood stock status

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

The stock status is Green for A and AB D negative platelets.

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- 3.1 days, A- 10.9 days, B- 4.1 days, AB- 5.5 days, O+ 5.3 days, A+ 7.8 days, B+ 6.5 days, AB+ 7.9 days

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

Platelet stock levels - text version

O- 1.79 days, A- 1.86 days, B- 2.38 days, AB- 2.75 days, O+ 1.87 days, A+ 1.50 days, B+ 2.22 days, AB+ 2.31 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. 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