Thames Valley Air Ambulance urges regular blood donation with 120 pints given to patients last year
Crews say at least six people a month need blood in emergencies across the region
Thames Valley Air Ambulance is urging people to give blood regularly this World Blood Donor Day, with 76 critically ill or injured patients needing transfusions last year.
The charity said that this meant a total of 242 units of blood needed during emergency callouts, equivalent to nearly 120 pints.
Of those treated, 19 patients were in Berkshire, 24 in Oxfordshire, 24 in Buckinghamshire and nine in neighbouring areas - four of the patients were children.
Adam Panter, Chief Operating Officer and Critical Care Paramedic at Thames Valley Air Ambulance, said blood can an be critical in determining a patient’s chances of survival.
"We give blood routinely in the most extreme cases of injury or very severe illness, and it can make the difference between getting a patient to hospital where they can receive surgical intervention and them dying pre-hospital."
Unlike standard ambulances, the air ambulance carries blood products on board its helicopters and rapid response vehicles, allowing specialist crews to perform transfusions at the roadside or wherever a patient needs urgent treatment.
Mr Panter said blood transfusions are often needed after serious road traffic collisions, falls from height and other traumatic incidents that can cause severe internal or external bleeding.
He added severe bleeding can reduce oxygen to the brain and vital organs, leading to loss of consciousness and serious damage without treatment.
"It is absolutely remarkable the immediate impact that giving blood makes, and it can often change the course of that patient's clinical direction."
The charity works closely with NHS Blood and Transplant and Oxford University Hospitals to ensure blood supplies are available around the clock.
Mr Panter praised consistent donors and urged more people to consider giving blood.
"It's not just about giving blood when there's a blood drive on – it's about doing it regularly and routinely," he said.
"If people are thinking about becoming a blood donor in order to help save somebody's life, then think about it as a commitment rather than just a one-off occurrence."
Reflecting on his experiences attending emergencies, Mr Panter recalled treating a child who suffered catastrophic injuries in a road traffic collision.
"Without the availability of blood, the child would certainly have died there and then," he said.
"Having access to that blood meant we were able to resuscitate the patient and get them to hospital, giving them the best possible chance of survival."