Skip to main content

How we communicate with you

The IBTS communicates with its donors in a number of different ways. This section explains how, why and when we will contact you.

Texting

Texting is the primary method of contact we use to communicate with donors – by consenting to receive texts; we can then keep you informed about upcoming clinics and any eligibility changes. You will receive the following texts:

What? When? ( all approx. dates) Why?
Date for your diary text 7 days before the clinic in your area To advise you of the next clinic in your area
Clinic reminder text

On day 1 (of 1&2 day clinics)

On day 1&3 of (3&4 day clinics)

To send you a reminder on the days that

clinics are taking place.
Blood group specific texts On the day of clinics

To ask donors of certain blood groups,

where stocks are low, to make a special effort to attend the clinic.

Appointment reminder texts

 

3 days before your appointment  

The day before your appointment

To allow you to reschedule your appointment if the date/time no longer suits and allow us to fill that appointment slot with another donor

To allow you to plan your attendance the following day.
Thank you text The next working day after you attend To thank you for taking the time and effort to attend our clinic, even if you did not get to donate.
Donation Issued text The day after the blood product, made from your donation, is issued to a hospital To inform you that the time and effort you took to donate was worth it, and your donation is helping provide a life-saving gift to a patient in need.

Phone Calls

Some donors may be contacted where there is an urgent need for their specific blood group or type:

What? When? Why?

Neonatal Phone Call

(for donors whose blood is specifically suitable for very young babies)

 Just prior to your next clinic Neonatal Donations have a use by date of only 5 days. We ring neonatal donors to attend our clinics on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays to ensure that we can provide a continuous supply of neonatal units to our Maternity Hospitals.
Intra-uterine Transfusion (IUT) Phone Call Just prior to the blood being needed to be transfused to the baby in the womb In certain cases where there are complications in a pregnancy it is necessary to provide a transfusion for the baby in the womb. For that reason the donation must be as closely matched to the mother/baby as possible and means that only a small number of donors may match the required criteria.
Crossmatch Phone Call Just prior to the blood being needed by a specific patient This is where we have an order to provide blood that is crossmatched for a specific patient. In these cases there are only a limited number of donors that match the required criteria.
Specific blood group calls Just prior to your next clinic In case of shortages of specific blood groups, we may contact some blood group specific donors asking to attend upcoming clinics
Returning phone calls / voicemails After receiving and missing a phone call from donors To return donor missed calls or voicemails

Post and digital communications

What? When? Why?
Post Infrequently to send promotional mail about blood donation and correspondence re medical matters To provide you with up-to-date information on blood donation and to communicate with you following a clinic visit.
Email Infrequently to respond to donor queries, communicate about service evaluation and research projects;invite donors to participate in surveys and keep donors up-to-date about new developments To answer your queries, ask for your input on or participation in service evaluations and/or research projects and send you an ezine
Contact us This is initiated by donors and via contactus@ibts.ie on our website or via our Donor Information Line 1800 731137 To facilitate donors asking general questions about blood donation or specific questions about their eligibility to donate or provide feedback/comments on their blood donation experience or suggestions on how we can improve our service to donors.
Social media Social media platforms are monitored and updated Monday to Friday To communicate with donors via Facebook and Twitter, sharing inspirational stories about donors and patients and general information on blood donation.