Video: @donarsang / IG

Permanent Centre Replaces Hospital-Based Donations

The Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST) has launched Spain’s first fixed, street-level blood donation centre in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, located at number 12 Jacint Verdaguer street in the Santa Eulàlia neighbourhood. The facility officially began full operations on Monday 28 September 2026, replacing the donation point at Bellvitge Hospital, which closed on Friday 25 September. This shift marks a strategic move by the BST to embed blood donation into daily community life, addressing declining donor numbers at hospital-based sites since the pandemic. The new centre operates from Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 20:00, and Saturdays from 9:00 to 14:30.

Making Donations More Accessible

The BST says the pandemic reduced footfall at hospitals, affecting donation rates across Catalonia’s 12 main hospital centres, which have not yet returned to pre-2019 levels. By relocating to a standalone urban site, the organisation aims to improve accessibility and appeal to younger donors. The Santa Eulàlia centre is near the Santa Eulàlia and Ciutat de la Justícia metro stations and the Ildefons Cerdà FGC station, serving residents of L'Hospitalet, including La Torrassa, Collblanc and Granvia, as well as Barcelona districts like Badal and Zona Franca.

  • Previously, the Bellvitge site had 19,305 active donors (those who gave within the last three years)
  • Nearly 10% of these came from Santa Eulàlia and surrounding areas
  • About 37.6% donated exclusively at Bellvitge; over 62% combined it with mobile or other fixed-site donations

BST will reinforce local campaigns in Baix Llobregat municipalities, El Prat de Llobregat, Cornellà, Sant Boi, Viladecans and Castelldefels, notifying donors when mobile units visit nearby.

Focus on Attracting Younger Donors

A key goal is generational renewal. Over half of former Bellvitge donors are aged between 45 and 65. First-time donations at the site fell by 44% between 2019 and 2024. In 2025, Bellvitge recorded 6,951 blood donations, down from 7,593 in 2023 and 8,114 in 2021. The BST hopes the new location’s visibility and convenience will reverse this trend.

The new model brings donation out of hospitals and into the heart of the community, where people live and move every day.

Despite the relocation, BST maintains its transfusion team at Bellvitge Hospital for patient care. The organisation supplies blood components to hospitals and clinics across Catalonia and supports transfusion services in 13 public network hospitals.

How to Donate

Eligible donors can book appointments or walk in during opening hours at Jacint Verdaguer, 12, L'Hospitalet. Information on eligibility, including travel, health and medication criteria, is available via the BST donation portal.

Primary sources: trasplantaments.gencat.cat. Reported by ACN, Banc de Sang i Teixits, apdnoticies.com, CatalunyaPress.es, 20minutos, bancsang.net, El Periódico Barcelona.