The Insurance Hall signs agreement with NHS Blood & Transplant to donate blood
Today, Monday 22nd January, The Insurance Hall has welcomed the third blood donation session organised by NHS Blood and Transplant. Over 200 donors attended the first two sessions, contributing with their selfless act of generosity to save the lives of many people who need a blood transfusion in an emergency or for ongoing medical treatment.
The first two sessions on Monday 4th and 8th January are part of an agreement signed by The Insurance Hall, part of Newable, and the NHS Blood and Transplant, the public body of the Department of Health and Social Care responsible for collecting and providing blood to hospitals in England and supplying organs, tissues, and stem cells across the UK, to use the historic event venue located in the heart of the City of London for blood donation sessions aimed at donors living or working in the Square Mile.
According to NHS Blood and Transplant, 4,300 blood donations are needed every day on average to meet the needs of hospitals across England. New blood donors from all backgrounds and blood types are needed every year to ensure the right blood is available for patients who need it.
For most people, donating blood is easy and follows a few simple steps. First, they must check if they can give blood for the first time here. If they are able to give blood, they can sign up online to become a blood donor on the Blood.co.uk website here, or call 0300 123 2323. Once signed up, they can log in to their online account, also accessible via the Give Blood app, to find and book an appointment at a donation venue of their convenience, e.g., The Insurance Hall if they live or work in the City of London. Men can give blood every 12 weeks and women can give blood every 16 weeks. This is because men generally have higher iron levels than women.
Detailed information is provided by NHS Blood and Transplant to prepare for the first and following donations. Detailed health and identity screenings are carried out when donors arrive at the donation centre to make sure it is safe for them to donate and that their blood donation is safe for a patient to receive. A full donation of 470 ml (just under a pint) usually takes between five and ten minutes and is carried out by trained NHS Blood and Transplant staff on a comfortable donation chair. In total, the whole process, including the initial check on arrival and resting time after the donation, can take up to an hour.
All donations are transported to an NHS Blood and Transplant blood centre, where they are tested and processed before being issued to hospitals across England. When a donation is issued, the donor receives a text message with information about the hospital where their blood has been sent. This simple animation explains what happens to a blood donation after the blood is collected at a donor centre.
Chris Manson, CEO at Newable, said: “Donating blood actively contributes to saving lives and is one of the easiest yet most important acts of love towards others one can do. Each blood donation is an amazing gift to people who need it and can save or improve up to three lives – it truly is a remarkable contribution that not only benefits our community but also brings a profound sense of fulfilment to donors themselves.”
“Having a positive impact on the communities where we operate is part of our corporate DNA and underpins everything we do. As our main offices are in the City, we are particularly proud of the agreement with NHS Blood and Transplant for the use of The Insurance Hall to host donations for City workers and residents. This is really consistent with who we are and what we stand for as an organisation. For this reason, I would also like to encourage other people living and working across the City, and in particular, our Newable colleagues who have not yet donated blood, to register as a blood donor here, and use our historic event venue to do something amazing for those who may be fighting their toughest battle by booking their first donation on one of the sessions at The Insurance Hall on Monday 22nd January, Friday 29th March and Thursday 4th April 2024. that are available on the Give Blood app.”
To learn more about how we can help your next event, contact our friendly team today at enquiries@theinsurancehall.co.uk or complete the online enquiry form.