Hansard

Presiding Officer, I apologise to you and the other members in the chamber for having to leave before the end of the debate this evening.

I thank Fulton MacGregor for bringing forward the debate. As he said, Give Blood 4 Good is a Scottish registered charity that works to improve participation in blood donation by increasing awareness and education among young adults in particular, breaking down misconceptions and empowering people to become regular donors. That involves collaboration with schools and universities. As he mentioned, the charity does outreach through student ambassadors, who share donor and recipient stories and organise community events, which are all aimed at fostering a culture in which blood donation is a regular and respected part of young people’s lives. The charity runs a young ambassador programme, where students lead awareness and donation initiatives within their institutions.

As Fulton MacGregor said, the charity was founded in 2019, in memory of Patrick Smith, a keen swimmer who was involved in the University of Edinburgh’s swimming and water polo club. I know that that was a passion of his, but he was also extremely passionate about blood donation, so much so that he gave his first blood as soon as he was able to—on his 17th birthday. Every time that Patrick donated, he would advocate how important it was to do so and, at every opportunity that he had, would encourage his friends and family members to give blood.

Following a blood drive in Patrick’s honour, where more than 150 people donated blood, it was realised that more than 60 per cent of people who took part had never given blood before. Most of them were young adults and had no intentions of giving blood again in the future. Further research has been done, and, according to an NHS statistic, 81 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in the United Kingdom have never donated blood, and 35 per cent of that age group admitted that they were scared to do so.

My mum has been donating blood for many years. The blood donation unit would come to Dunbar grammar school every so often, and she would always visit it. I have been giving blood for a number of years, and in the past few years I have also started to donate platelets. My daughter gave blood when she was in her earlier years—she was just over 17—and she now donates platelets as well. We often debate who has the better platelets—she knows that it is me, of course. Three generations of the family are donating, and that shows the importance of starting to donate as early as possible.

To build on some of the points that Mr MacGregor mentioned, only 4 per cent of people in Scotland who are eligible to donate blood do so. There are many reasons why people cannot donate, which makes it even more important for people to do so when they can.

Every time that someone gives blood, they can save the lives of up to three people. All blood donations are separated into three components—red blood cells, plasma and platelets. One blood donation can save or improve the lives of up to three people. That means that the exact products can be given to those who need them, while ensuring that none of the blood donated goes to waste.

Every day, 400 new donors are needed to meet the demand for blood in the UK. Adults and children who suffer from anaemia, cancer and blood disorders are dependent on regular blood donations, and most cannot survive without them.

Every minute, four units of blood are issued to UK hospitals to help patients. Blood donations are also needed for people who require major and emergency surgeries, and to treat blood loss after childbirth. To meet that demand, 5,000 people need to give blood every day. People can donate once they are 17. More than half of regular blood donors are over the age of 45, so we need more young and diverse donors to donate. As soon as someone is 17, they are eligible to donate blood.

Women aged 17 to 34 are twice as likely to donate than men of the same age, but men tend to have more iron and a higher platelet count than women, which means that they can donate more regularly. Furthermore, only men’s blood can be used for transfusions in newborn babies. That highlights the fact that we need more men to regularly donate.

The clear message is: book an appointment today.