People in Tipperary urged to donate blood as supply falls to just three days

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is seeking the public’s support to help the national blood supply, as most blood groups have fallen to just three days in recent weeks.

The IBTS aims to have seven days' stock at all times.

“The target is to get an additional 2,000 donations over the next five weeks so we can significantly increase our blood supply levels,” said Paul McKinney, Director of Donor Services and Logistics.

A blood donation clinic is being held at Hotel Minella in Clonmel this week, continuing on Wednesday and Thursday from 2.30pm-4.50pm and 6.50pm-9.10pm.

A clinic will also be held at Ballykisteen Hotel in Tipperary on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 6-8 from 4.50pm-8.10pm, and at Cahir House Hotel from 4.50pm-8.10pm on Tuesday June 6.

New donors are welcome, please phone 1800 222 111 for an appointment.

”There has been a consistently strong hospital demand for blood and we need to boost our collections by nearly 400 donations per week to meet it. The start of summer travel has also had an impact on donor availability," said IBTS Director of Donor Services and Logistics, Paul McKinney.

”We are asking regular donors who are texted over the next few weeks to make an extra effort to attend their nearest clinic. They are vital to addressing the current increased demand from hospitals. For the longer term, we also urge donors to consider giving blood if they are eligible before they go on holidays this summer’’.

New donors have also fallen significantly since the pandemic. Therefore, anybody interested in giving blood should visit https://www.giveblood.ie/ become-a-donor/ to check their eligibility before coming to a clinic, or alternatively call to make an appointment on 1800 731137.

"A ‘pre-amber alert letter’ was issued to all hospitals on May 25, restricting issues of blood and hospitals have been asked to reduce their stock holding. This enables the IBTS to manage the limited blood supply available more effectively across the health service.

"If the IBTS has to issue an ‘amber alert letter’, which is the next escalation level of the blood shortage plan, it would have an immediate implication for hospitals and for elective surgical procedures requiring blood support,’’ he added.