§ 90. Colonel Stoddart-Scottasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many hospitals are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain blood donors for blood transfusion services; what is the cause of this shortage; and what steps is he taking to overcome it.
§ Mr. BevanApart from isolated cases I am not aware that hospitals have experienced difficulty in meeting their needs.
The following are the figures: In the first three quarters of 1947 the estimated effective strength of donor panels rose by nearly 40, from 267,000 to 369,000 and the response of donors to calls rose from 61W 36 per cent. to 41 per cent. Enough blood is being obtained, but to reach our aim of not calling on donors more than twice a year 163,000 more are needed.