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There are 3 types of blood services as listed below.
The primary service provider in Ireland is the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. There is also a voluntary group called Irish Blood Bikes who give up their time to deliver blood or platelets at any time of day or night to hospitals and residential homes.
There are 3 types of blood services as listed below.
The primary service provider in Ireland is the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. There is also a voluntary group called Irish Blood Bikes who give up their time to deliver blood or platelets at any time of day or night to hospitals and residential homes.
The IBTS is a statutory body established in 1965 with the responsibility for the national blood supply. They also provide testing and tissue services to hospitals and is responsible for the Irish unrelated Bone Marrow Registry.
Blood Bikes was established in 2013 and offers a free essential medical transport service to HSE group hospitals, this service operates 365 days a year, Inc Christmas, St Stephens day and all public holidays, some groups operate a 24hr service were resources are available, others operate a 7pm to 6am service.
Blood Bike groups are run by volunteers who give 100% of their time freely to enable this service to continue, everyone involved riders, drivers, controllers, fundraisers even admin staff receive no payment or gratuity of any kind whatsoever. Volunteers are trained to a very high standard and continually monitored to ensure the standards are maintain while providing this service to the hospitals, hospices and medical centres throughout Ireland.
In Ireland, 3,000 blood transfusions are required to be donated each week. Of these donations, 1,000 people need transfusions every week. Additional donations are required as a reserve for emergency procedures for unexpected car, work or other related incidents.
Platelets are used in the treatment of cancer and leukemic patients, bone marrow transplant, new born babies and burns victims. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service provides life-saving platelets to all of the hospitals in Ireland. Due to the rising number of cancer diagnosis in the country, there is always a need for platelet donors. There are just 2,400 Irish platelet donors and we are looking for new donors to join the panel.
Yes, it is very safe. A full blood count is taken before each donation to ensure that you have enough platelets to donate. Your body replaces all of the platelets that you have given within a few days. It is impossible to catch any viral infection by donating platelets or blood. We use a new sterile disposable set for each donation.
After the donation is completed you are asked to take a short rest and have something to eat or drink. You are then fit to resume normal activities.
As you keep your red cells during the donation process, it is possible to give platelets every 28 days. As the demand for platelets is constant we normally ask that you try to donate every four to six weeks.
Not everyone is suitable to be a platelet donor. So if you have attended for your assessment and you are suitable, we would ask that you just give platelets, for as long as this is possible for you. If you find that giving platelets is no longer possible for you, you may return to giving blood at any point.
For more than 80 diseases and disorders, a stem cell transplant can be a treatment option. The Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry is determined to help patients in finding a life-saving unrelated donor. Every person who registers gives a patient in need a better chance of finding their life-saving match.
No. While you may be motivated to join because of someone close to you, it is important to realise that the IUBMR is an Unrelated Registry facilitating transplants for both Irish and International patients. By joining the IUBMR, you may be selected to help any patient anywhere in the world.
Your HLA type and details are recorded. You will only be contacted by us if you are identified as a possible match for a patient in need of a transplant.
When a patient needs a donor, we compare their HLA type with all the types on the panel.
If you are identified as a possible match you will be asked to attend the National Blood Centre in Dublin to assess your suitability and give a further blood sample. If the sample shows the level of compatibility is very close and you are medically suitable you may be asked to donate.
You will be required to attend St James’s Hospital for a number of medical appointments to determine your suitability, willingness to donate and answer any questions you may have. Regardless of where your matched patient is, your bone marrow donation will take place in St James’s Hospital, Dublin. A date will be determined for the transplant to take place.
Read about the bone marrow donation process here.
Yes. If you join the Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry, it does not commit you to donate bone marrow and you can withdraw from the panel at any time. However, the decision to become a volunteer requires very serious consideration. Once the patient has started their pre transplant treatment, usually about 10 days before you donate they must have a transplant to survive, it would be very difficult to find another donor at such short notice.
The IUBMR will aim to cover any loss of earnings and expenses relating to your donation.
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