Give plasma

First of all - we'd like to ask for your help

We are currently recruiting plasma donors. Plasma can be used to treat over 50 diseases, including babies with haemolytic disease, an inherited condition which affects red blood cells. Use this information, or come and talk to us, to find out if giving plasma is for you.

As of January 2026, we would love to welcome female donors with the blood group AB to switch to plasma donation. We would love to welcome regular donors and donors who have not donated for some time.

If you are female, group AB and weigh at least 60kg, please do consider this type of donation. You can give plasma at our Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness donor centres, and we offer a wide variety of appointment times including evenings and weekends. Each plasma appointment does take slightly longer than a blood donation – we ask you to allow 60 minutes for your appointment, with each donation lasting approximately 40 minutes. Plasma donors can donate every four weeks. Donors commitment may vary, but we would love to welcome you 4-6 times per year.

Currently we are contacting women with the blood group AB to ask if you will consider switching to plasma donation. Our team can explain more about this, and may invite you to a welcome appointment to find out if plasma donation is for you. If you are interested in finding out more about plasma, please do contact us online, by phone, or ask to speak to a plasma champion next time you come to give blood.

The blood groups we are recruiting are very likely to change, as this is always based on current patient needs. so please let us know if it’s something you’d consider in the future – even if you’re not an AB female.

Why do we need more donors?

Currently in Scotland, there is a shortage of whole blood donors, with only 2% of the population donating. Not every donation can help every patient – it depends upon the donor and patients’ blood group being compatible. This means we must carefully balance the blood supply and number of blood donors available against hospital demand.

Therefore, SNBTS continually balances the need for blood, platelets, and plasma with the number of donors available. This changes regularly, depending on what patients need at any given time.

As of January 2026, this is what we’d love to ask you to donate according to your blood group:

Your donation is your gift to give, and we’re grateful for your commitment. Our team will support you with your decision, and your donation will make a real difference for patients in Scotland.

Preferred donation types change over time. We very much hope that as more people in Scotland become whole blood donors, everyone will have greater choice and flexibility in deciding if they’d like to switch to giving platelets or plasma.

If circumstances change and you’d like to switch donation type in the future, please let us know and our team will be in touch.

How many more donors does Scotland need?

Every day, Scotland needs around 450 blood donors to meet the needs of patients in hospitals across the country. However, fewer people are donating than before, and that puts pressure on Scotland’s blood supply. During 2025, the number of people actively donating fell from around 3% of the population to under 2%.

Here is the shortfall of donors we can see across Scotland:

We do see donors stopping donating for one reason or another so it is very important new donors are welcomed to compensate for this.

How can I help?

Give blood in groups, come back if you haven’t been for a while, let us know if we can come to your workplace, bring a friend - there are lots of ways you can help.

Tell me about plasma.

Plasma is the clear, straw-coloured liquid portion of blood that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are removed. Plasma makes up 55% of human blood and is the single largest component. It contains antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins. It also contains water and proteins called clotting factors, which stop bleeding.

What is plasma used for?

Plasma can be used to make a variety of life-saving products and medicines including:

• Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP)
• Cryoprecipitate (Cryo)
• Plasma for Medicine (PfM)

How is plasma donated?

Plasma can be donated in two ways:

• as part of a normal whole blood donation, where your gift is later split into its component parts (plasma, platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells) in our labs
• or at the point of donation (plasmapheresis), where a special machine is used to split your components and take only your plasma, returning your platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells immediately.

What are FFP and Cryo?

FFP is produced by quickly freezing plasma donations to preserve their clotting factors. It can be used to treat patients with major bleeding or who have low levels of certain clotting factors.

Cryo is a blood product prepared from fresh frozen plasma. It is used to treat patients with bleeding and liver disorders.

As both therapies are produced from whole blood, no further tests or eligibility criteria apply on top of what is needed for a typical blood donation.

What is Plasma for Medicine?

Plasma can be used to make immunoglobulin therapy. This can be used to help patients with weak immune systems fight infection, both those born with immune disorders, and those who have developed them following cancer, cancer treatments or transplants.

Plasma can also be used to make albumin solution to treat patients with liver disorders and patients needing plasma exchange procedures. Plasma exchange procedures remove patients’ plasma, which may contain harmful antibodies or substances, and replace it with fluids like FFP or human albumin solution.

Are there any additional tests for giving Plasma for Medicine?

Yes, a few. All plasma donors need to meet the standard eligibility criteria for blood donation, including the haemoglobin test (where we prick your finger to make sure you have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen) as standard.

However, in addition to this, potential Plasma for Medicine donors will also have their veins assessed. This simply means having a good look at them, it’s not invasive in any way.

Before or with your first donation, we will test your blood to make sure it is safe for you to donate. We will count your:

• haematocrit (the percentage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in your blood)
• platelets (the amount of healing platelet cells you have)
• white blood cells (how many infection-fighting white blood cells you have)

As a Plasma for Medicine donor, your total blood proteins will also be tested at least once a year.

What should I do before donating?

Keeping hydrated is the best way to avoid fainting. Make sure you’ve had plenty to drink before coming to donate, and we’ll also give you 500ml of water to drink when you arrive. This might seem a lot, but we know it will make you less likely to feel faint.

Don’t donate on an empty stomach - make sure you’ve eaten well before you come. However, please avoid fatty meals for at least 24hrs before your donation. Oily or greasy food can affect the quality of your plasma, and may lead to your donation being stopped or discarded.

Are there any risks associated with giving plasma?

Most of the risks of plasma donation are similar to the risks associated with blood donation.

• Bruising and pain: Most pain and bruising is minor, and symptoms settle quickly with no or simple measures. Fewer than 1 in 50 donations lead to bruising.
• Feeling faint: Around 1 in 80 donations lead to donors feeling faint. New blood donors are more likely to be affected, however drinking plenty of clear fluids (at least 500ml) before donation significantly reduces the likelihood of fainting.
• Citrate effect: Citrate is a blood thinner which occurs naturally in the body. It is added to the donation to prevent blood clotting. A small amount is returned to the donor with their red cells. Most donors feel no side effects, but some may feel tingling around their mouth, fingertips or toes, a metallic taste, or chills. These effects are easily managed by slowing the procedure down.
• Other complications of donation include severe pain, arm inflammation, injury of a nerve or a punctured artery. These are rare, occurring in fewer than 1 in 1,000 donations.
• Sometimes the donation may need to be stopped early. This could be because we can’t get a good blood flow, or you’re feeling side effects, such as discomfort or bruising.
• If this happens, you may need to wait before you can donate again. Our staff will advise you if this is the case.

If you become at all uncomfortable during your donation, it is vital you let a member of staff know. Our team is trained to take the best possible care of you.

Scotland's donor centres

Where can I give plasma?

• Aberdeen Blood Donor Centre
• Dundee Blood Donor Centre
• Edinburgh Blood Donor Centre
• Glasgow Blood Donor Centre
• Inverness Blood Donor Centre

I’m interested – what should I do?

• To book an appointment, use the contact us form or email us at nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.scot. One of our plasma recruitment team will get in touch.
• Alternatively, speak to us if you're at a session, or call us 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, on 0345 90 90 999.