Hansard

I am pleased to participate in this members’ business debate on the work of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and I thank Fulton MacGregor for bringing this important matter to the chamber.

Blood plays an absolutely crucial role in saving the lives of those patients in our NHS who require it. To be blunt, I would say that, without the SNBTS and its donors, we would not have the NHS that we are so proud of today, and I commend and thank all the staff at the service and indeed all NHS staff across Scotland for their continued efforts throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The motion highlights an incredibly concerning reality. The number of people giving blood has dropped dramatically over the past year, and we need to do all that we can to encourage people to give blood when and where they are able to do so. In that respect, I am delighted to hear your pledge, Presiding Officer. I have given blood on a number of occasions in Aberdeen—indeed, I think that I have donated more than 46 pints of blood. As I have continued to do so over the pandemic, I can assure everyone who might be listening that all precautions have been put in place. I therefore ask anyone who can to go and give blood.

It is interesting to find out what happens to blood after it leaves our arms and where it goes on its journey to saving someone’s life. After blood leaves an arm and goes into the bag, it is taken to a nearby processing and testing laboratory, where it is separated into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. It is then tested for viruses, and if it passes all those tests, it is labelled and sent to one of the country’s 39 blood banks. Not one drop is wasted. Even when a session has had to be stopped because of slow-running blood and a full pint has not been obtained, that blood is not wasted and is used for testing instead. That has happened to me on a number of occasions, and over the years I have learned the tricks of the trade to get my donation flowing freely such as drinking lots of water, crossing and uncrossing legs and wiggling toes and fingers.

I have been very privileged to be able to take part in SNBTS’s awards ceremonies, which normally take place every year in the Beach ballroom in Aberdeen. The service is very aware of and thankful for their donors’ contributions, and donors with 50-plus donations are invited along to those evenings to receive a small gift and to give the service the chance to thank them once again. As a former depute provost and councillor, I was proud to be able to present some of those awards. The donors do not think that it is a big deal to give up their precious time and blood. They do not see it as doing anything special, but we all know differently. I therefore take this opportunity to once again thank all the donors.

I say to anyone who is able, please give blood. If I can do it, anyone can. I am a feartie when it comes to needles, and it disnae help that I have only one vein that I can manage to gie blood fae. The SNBTS folk in Aberdeen are brilliant: they find that vein every time. People truly are in safe hands with all the teams at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. I say to everyone: you can save a life today—please give blood if you can.