1800 731 137
Before Donation
Simple Habits for a Comfortable Donation
Drinking plenty of cold, non-alcoholic fluids in the 24 hours prior to donating and eating savoury food and / or salty snacks the night before donation will greatly reduce the risk of fainting during or after donating. In addition, please ensure you eat something substantial in the 3 hours prior to your donation.
Allow enough time
Although a donation only takes approximately 8 minutes, you will need to allow 60-90 minutes for the entire process, from registration to resting afterwards while enjoying some refreshments.
Check your eligibility
Nearly one in five donors who attend will be ineligible to give blood on any given day. So it is worthwhile checking if there are any temporary reasons why you might be unable to give blood on your appointment date. Remember certain medications can be harmful for patients, or recent travel to some areas may mean you can't give temporarily. For more information take the eligibility quiz which covers most reasons or call us at 1800731137 if you are unsure about a specific issue.
If attending with children
Any children under the age of 18 must be accompanied on clinic by an adult at all times - including a different adult during the actual donating process.