Tag Archives: Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS)

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service are urging the people of Clare to give a “priceless gift” and donate blood this Christmas and New Year. Blood donation clinics will be open in Ennis across three days next week with donors called on to make a special effort this festive season. The clinics will be held by appointment only at CBS Primary School, Ennis on Tuesday, December 27, Wednesday, December 28 and Thursday, December 29. To book an appointment contact 1800 222 111. According to IBTS, donations are especially important given on-going challenges with donor availability due to the level of illness in the community, with nearly 20% of all appointments being cancelled weekly. “We really need blood donor’s help, we know it’s been hard and our donors have been amazing in their support.  Donating blood is a selfless act for the person who gives it but is a priceless gift to the person who receives it. For the next three weeks, we …

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is to hold two blood donation clinics in Clare next week. The clinics will take place at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, between 4.45pm and 8pm on Monday and Tuesday, December 12 and 13. The clinics come at a time when blood supplies are under pressure. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service has had to import blood from the UK recently because of a current shortage of supply here. According to a report on RTE, the IBTS said 390 units of O-, A- and B- arrived into Ireland from Manchester in England last week. This is the fourth time in the last 18 months that blood has been imported from the UK. Barry Doyle, director of production and hospital services at the IBTS, told RTE that maintaining supplies of negative blood groups had become difficult with just two days of O- blood in the bank and he said it activated its contingency plan with the UK’s blood …

Minister for Health, Simon Harris, has announced that from today Monday) the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has introduced a change to the blood donor deferral policy. This change will see the lifting of the lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM). A man who last had sex with another man more than 12 months ago will now be able to donate blood if he meets the other blood donor selection criteria. Minister Harris also welcomed today’s introduction of an additional deferral from blood donation of those with a history of specific notifiable sexually transmitted infections for five years from completion of treatment of that infection. Minister Harris said, “The IBTS provides a safe, reliable and robust blood service to the Irish health system and has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both donors and recipients of blood and blood products. Furthermore, the IBTS will continue to keep all deferral policies …