DONATIONS to the Red Cross Blood Service have gone down since February and at the beginning of this month, the service had less than two days’ supply.
After a bad experience last week, a Mandurah man says this is because the service makes it “too hard” for the average person to give blood.
Steven Harrop was booked in to give blood at 11.45am last Friday.
Mr Harrop claims that when he arrived they were fully booked and were not able to see him.
“I got upset and I didn’t want to do it anymore, so I cancelled the appointment,” he said.
Mr Harrop’s blood type is O-negative and there is always a need for this type of blood.
“They are chasing this type of blood, it is hard to find people to donate this blood type,” he said.
Currently the Red Cross Mobile Blood Bank comes to Mandurah around once a month, but Mr Harrop thinks there should be a permanent blood donation service available to locals.
“People are inquiring and they are told that the Red Cross are only here today,” he said.
“They just make it so hard to do it, surely they can make it easier to give blood.”
Mr Harrop said he does not know if he would be willing to make another appointment.
“I just want to do the right thing and it’s just taking too long,” he said. “If I was at work today I’d be buggered and wouldn’t be able to come in at all.
“They say they are desperate for blood, so get it happening.”
A Red Cross Blood Service spokesperson said they had no plans to alter the service.
On their website, people are asked to allow 60-minutes from the time they arrive until they leave.