IBTS asks hospitals to defer elective surgery

Thursday 9th June 2005

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is currently experiencing a serious reduction in blood donations. This is a problem that has arisen over recent months, despite intense efforts by the organisation to increase the numbers of donors visiting clinics.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service advised hospitals on 8th June to defer elective surgery that may require the use of blood for four or five days due to a severe decline in blood donations.  The situation is under constant review. Despite intensive efforts by the IBTS to offset the decline in donations, we have been left with no alternative but to notify the hospitals that we are unable to meet their demands for blood at this time, said IBTS Chief Executive Andrew Kelly.

The Board of the IBTS discussed the situation at its board meeting yesterday and regrets the impact of this decision on individual patients. We understand the inconvenience and upset it has caused.   We value our donors who give so generously and encourage people to come forward to donate so that we can meet patient needs, said IBTS Chairperson Maura McGrath.
 
Traditionally the summer months are a difficult time for blood donation, and this year we have been unable to reverse the seasonal decline in the numbers attending our clinics to give blood.

While the IBTS continues to make every effort to get people to donate, the very real difficulty is that without the generosity of donors, we cannot supply hospitals to meet patients needs, said Andrew Kelly. Recently introduced measures to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission have had an adverse affect on the available donor population.  Since January 2005, attendance at blood donation clinics has dropped by almost 4,000 over the same period in 2004.  While the demand for blood and blood products continues to rise, the numbers giving blood regularly have dropped, and this is unsustainable.

"We are doing everything we can to encourage donors to give blood and will continue to do so", he added.Details on clinic times and venues are available on Aertel page 691 and www.ibts.ie

ENDS