Why aren't you donating blood?

PhilOssophy

Donating blood is so slow and inefficient.
You should be able to book a slot, fill in the questionnaire online up to 6-12 hours in advance (and be told then if I can't donate), go in and do the finger prick test, all good - straight in.
Nothing drives me mad about it more than going in, being given a paper questionnaire, filling it in, waiting, being asked another load of questions which aren't on the form when you get started.

Its a service which just hasn't moved with the times. I still do it occasionally, but not periodically like I used to.

Sardonicat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

We're importing blood.

https://mobile.twitter.com/FergalBowers/status/1410188832423743488


They've relaxed some of the restrictions around donating after living in england.....hopefully this will bring in a few more people or encourage some lapsed doners to return

I had to stop because of the tightened restrictions around living in England. If I can donate again I will, happily.

Alun

Sardonicat wrote: »

I had to stop because of the tightened restrictions around living in England. If I can donate again I will, happily.

You can, they got rid of the restrictions ages ago. I was in the same boat and started donating again last year. They didn't exactly go out of their way to advertise the fact though so they've only got themselves to blame really.

honeyjo

Due to the restrictions around living in England I had to stop donating. They changed those rules but now I'm not allowed due to an auto immune disease

AndrewJRenko

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Donating blood is so slow and inefficient.
You should be able to book a slot, fill in the questionnaire online up to 6-12 hours in advance (and be told then if I can't donate), go in and do the finger prick test, all good - straight in.
Nothing drives me mad about it more than going in, being given a paper questionnaire, filling it in, waiting, being asked another load of questions which aren't on the form when you get started.

Its a service which just hasn't moved with the times. I still do it occasionally, but not periodically like I used to.

You CAN book a slot, certainly in Stillorgan. Filling in the questionnaire takes less than five minutes. They repeat some questions and check some additional items in the interview. Some people DO make mistakes when filling out forms, so there is value in double checking, for safety reasons.

It takes less than an hour. Call them today to book an appointment, if you can.

LizardKing

tried calling 1850 number and it rang and then disconnected .. i guess they may be getting a lot of calls as people try and sign up.

I'll filled out the form to register interest so hopefully they will get back to me. https://www.giveblood.ie/find-a-clinic/register-interest

Pauliedragon

I think they're too strict. I used to donate regularly but as I'm on very mild medication I'm not all allowed even though my gp and consultant say it wouldn't be a problem.

black & white

I donated from aged 18, until I went on an immunosuppressant meds. They won’t take it now, pity as I was on 19 donations and wanted to get a nice round figure.

Martina1991

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I think they're too strict. I used to donate regularly but as I'm on very mild medication I'm not all allowed even though my gp and consultant say it wouldn't be a problem.

The acceptance criteria in place isn't just for the donor.

It's to protect the patient receiving the donation. People receiving blood products are vulnerable and can't risk any kind of contamination that may cause a reaction.

AndrewJRenko

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I think they're too strict. I used to donate regularly but as I'm on very mild medication I'm not all allowed even though my gp and consultant say it wouldn't be a problem.

It's easy to say that they won't be a problem when you're not responsible for the outcome.

Not all medications are a barrier to donation.

Pauliedragon

Martina1991 wrote: »

The acceptance criteria in place isn't just for the donor.

It's to protect the patient receiving the donation. People receiving blood products are vulnerable and can't risk any kind of contamination that may cause a reaction.

That's not was I was told. They said u have a mild chance of having a seizure therefore u can't donate. The medication I'm on slightly increases the risk of seizure due to a small increase in temperature which is one in a million. it wasn't to protect the person receiving the blood it was to protect me. I'm happy to take that risk if it saves lives.

HeidiHeidi

I think I got to 52 or 53 donations a few years ago, and was one of the biggest and loudest advocates of donating - and then I got an unmerciful belt of flu that knocked me sideways for months, and to my shame I've just never quite got around to going in again.

It's gone on my to-do list for the next month now for sure, esp after seeing that they're importing (even though mine isn't one of the super desirable types).

cnoc

Up to over 12/15 yrs ago I had made 75 donations. Age and medication caught up with me, therefore I had to stop donating.

Tchaikovsky

Are they still not accepting the gays' blood?

banie01

It's great to see this thread resurrected.

I'd imagine that lockdown itself had a huge impact on blood donation clinics and their attendance?
I'm still unable to donate (due to meds) but my family have stepped up to donate.
2 of my brother's and all 3 of my sisters are all on the wagon now.

Dick Turnip

I can't donate due to the ol' gayness

Bit cynical

How much blood do they normally take?

Alun

Bit cynical wrote: »

How much blood do they normally take?

470ml

Sardonicat

Dick Turnip wrote: »

I can't donate due to the ol' gayness

Is that still a thing?! I thought they did away with that?

El_Duderino 09

Bit cynical wrote: »

How much blood do they normally take?

They say a pint (568ml but i presume it's gone metric so probably 500ml) That ballpark if not totally accurate. About 8% of total blood volume and you replace the red blood cells in 10-12 weeks.

mikethecop

Sardonicat wrote: »

Is that still a thing?! I thought they did away with that?

No the auld gayness is still quite popular from what i hear

fortwilliam

My dance with Malaria gives me the red card.

Sardonicat

mikethecop wrote: »

No the auld gayness is still quite popular from what i hear

Ah, gayness being popular = good.
Gayness preventing you from donating blood = bad

Alun

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

They say a pint (568ml but i presume it's gone metric so probably 500ml) That ballpark if not totally accurate. About 8% of total blood volume and you replace the red blood cells in 10-12 weeks.

As I said earlier, it's 470ml in the bag that goes to the blood bank.

ianobrien

I've given about 10 times so far but not in years. The last time I went to gave blood I went to a mobile clinic after work. They refused as I hadn't eaten enough in the two hours beforehand. It was after work and I had my dinner at lunchtime. Still, they said no. I could hardly bunk off work for a substantial meal for my 3:00 cuppa now could I?

Then a few years were taken up with restrictions from travelling (SE Asia, India, UAE, etc).

I keep saying that I must go back but with Covid, I'm not fond of spending time indoors unless I REALLY have to.

ronkmonster

One of my donations had a false positive years ago and they wouldn't take it anymore. I have one of the types that they are importing.

Ten of Swords

Sardonicat wrote: »

Ah, gayness being popular = good.
Gayness preventing you from donating blood = bad

The UK changed the rules on this 2 weeks ago (14th June). Men who have sex with men can donate blood with no deferral period if they are sexually active but in a monogamous relationship (in practical terms this means having only one sexual partner for the previous 3 months), otherwise there is a 3 month deferral period.

In Ireland there is still a one year deferral period for men who have sex with men.

Sardonicat

Ten of Swords wrote: »

The UK changed the rules on this 2 weeks ago (14th June). Men who have sex with men can donate blood with no deferral period if they are sexually active but in a monogamous relationship (in practical terms this means having only one sexual partner for the previous 3 months), otherwise there is a 3 month deferral period.

In Ireland there is still a one year deferral period for men who have sex with men.

How does that work in practical terms? Surely a questionnaire asking everyone to disclose high risk activity in the last 12 months is fairer and safer?

thesimpsons

Normally every 90 days I'm donating, 63 donations so far, but in the last 12 months I have struggled to find a clinic at a time & location I can get to. Awful pity you can't book into your local hospital and donate at time that suits, especially as I see they are having to import blood this week.

Dick Turnip

Dick Turnip wrote: »

I can't donate due to the ol' gayness

This is under review for this autumn aparently

https://mobile.twitter.com/simon_ryan/status/1410357771300638722

wildwillow

Donated for years and very grateful to all those who donated in Crumlin when my child needed regular transfusions.

My parents had always been donors and all my family do too.
Had surgery last year and nearing the upper age limit so my donating days are over.

I always included a request that they become blood donors when I gave my farewell talk to Leaving
Cert students.

theguzman

I was never able to donate blood usually due to some rule about having been in an region or areas of malaria in the previous 6 months. As I'd often be abroad this caught me up each time I wanted to go.

This year I donated blood for the first time when I was abroad and I gave 450mls for the first time. The HSE rules are a bit too stringent on this I feel. All blood is tested for a plethora of disease anyway.

beertons

Booked in for next Tuesday.

SupaCat95

ohfa6muwtsvkc1 wrote: »

I'd also propose an extra tax on those who don't.

Lets follow that idea through. You "donate" blood meaning you give it willingly without compensation or reward. Lets look at it another way, how about a vulnerable persons has to donate who might have some parasites' or blood borne illness. Like when they were pay for blood donation around the United States which was responsible for spreading HIV in the 1980's to people who hemophiliacs. Some of those blood products arrived in Ireland and 106 people contracted HIV. What was the Governments response? Cover it up and use National Lottery funds to pay for counselling .......... astounding!

If you want to donate, donate, do it willingly as a civic responsibility. Without reward only knowing you have done a philanthropic deed. Dont bully someone into it or force vulnerable people to do it. You will lose a lot of good will which is priceless. Nothing gets peoples back up is when you force them into a corner and call them out.

BTW I used to donate and have a silver pin.

Tidyboii

Pre-covid it was because of recent tattoo's. Hoping to get donating soon though so onwards and upwards

Strumms

ive a very very minor medical condition but it’s listed or it’s type of condition is listed as not compatible with donating because it has affected my blood pressure but that is managed very successfully ....so erring on the side of caution..

PhilOssophy

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

You CAN book a slot, certainly in Stillorgan. Filling in the questionnaire takes less than five minutes. They repeat some questions and check some additional items in the interview. Some people DO make mistakes when filling out forms, so there is value in double checking, for safety reasons.

It takes less than an hour. Call them today to book an appointment, if you can.

Its not only 5 minutes though. I am more likely to make a mistake as I frantically try to fill in the form as quickly as possible in the waiting area.

By the time I fill in the form, they go through it, ask another litany of questions, it is a minimum of 10+ minutes, all of which could be done before I go into the waiting room.

Then there's the inevitable waiting around the bed, waiting at the end, its all just very cumbersome.

quickbeam

Crappy veins. Difficult enough when I need to give blood for a blood test. They won’t take it from me unless they can get it easily. I’ve tried three or four times.

El_Duderino 09

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Its not only 5 minutes though. I am more likely to make a mistake as I frantically try to fill in the form as quickly as possible in the waiting area.

By the time I fill in the form, they go through it, ask another litany of questions, it is a minimum of 10+ minutes, all of which could be done before I go into the waiting room.

Then there's the inevitable waiting around the bed, waiting at the end, its all just very cumbersome.

I agree that the filling out the form could be moved online but they would still need to check it with you. It's a medical procedure after all so they have to talk to you and check your understanding of the procedure.

It makes it easier if you accept that takes an hour and a half in total so if you allow that much time, then it's not a big problem.

Castlekeeper

Received some once so not allowed, unfortunately.

AndrewJRenko

quickbeam wrote: »

Crappy veins. Difficult enough when I need to give blood for a blood test. They won’t take it from me unless they can get it easily. I’ve tried three or four times.

Me too. Drinking large amounts of water in the hours before donation makes a huge difference

AndrewJRenko

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Its not only 5 minutes though. I am more likely to make a mistake as I frantically try to fill in the form as quickly as possible in the waiting area.

By the time I fill in the form, they go through it, ask another litany of questions, it is a minimum of 10+ minutes, all of which could be done before I go into the waiting room.

Then there's the inevitable waiting around the bed, waiting at the end, its all just very cumbersome.

It couldn't "all be done online" though. There is a difference in the quality and reliability of answers when done face to face.

This might be a surprise to you, but it is possible that the professional experts with decades of experience know a bit more about how to collect this data reliably than you do.

It is generally less than an hour. Chill, enjoy the time on boards or reading a book. Do the right thing.

PhilOssophy

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It couldn't "all be done online" though. There is a difference in the quality and reliability of answers when done face to face.

This might be a surprise to you, but it is possible that the professional experts with decades of experience know a bit more about how to collect this data reliably than you do.

It is generally less than an hour. Chill, enjoy the time on boards or reading a book. Do the right thing.

In the mobile clinics it is generally more than an hour unless you get very lucky.

We consent to all sorts of things online, even covid vaccine consent.

Sure I am just as likely to tick the wrong box when I'm filling it in in the clinic as I am online.

I'm just saying it should be an option to speed up the process where possible. Young people aren't going to be bothered if it takes too long. I'm also explaining why people might not be bothered donating. Anything which can be done to speed up the process, should be done. That is all.

HeidiHeidi

Do you think that hasn't occurred to the people who run the service also? And that they've made the service as user-friendly as possible, while also sticking within the ever tightening regulations within which they have to operate?

Sardonicat

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Do you think that hasn't occurred to the people who run the service also? And that they've made the service as user-friendly as possible, while also sticking within the ever tightening regulations within which they have to operate?

Well, it didnt seem to occur to them to publicise the fact that restrictions around the timeframe of living in the UK have been loosened, did it? A lot of former donors (such as myself) were precluded from donating and would gladly donate again, had we known we could.

HeidiHeidi

Sardonicat wrote: »

Well, it didnt seem to occur to them to publicise the fact that restrictions around the timeframe of living in the UK have been loosened, did it? A lot of former donors (such as myself) were precluded from donating and would gladly donate again, had we known we could.

And yet I heard about that, despite not having donated in quite a few years. It was widely reported in the media at the time, eg
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/ban-on-blood-donations-from-people-who-lived-in-uk-during-cjd-era-to-end-1.4014079

Neyite

Sardonicat wrote: »

How does that work in practical terms? Surely a questionnaire asking everyone to disclose high risk activity in the last 12 months is fairer and safer?

They have that on the standard questionnaire. (attached BT400 (page 2) is for regular donors, BT 1 is for new donors or donors returning)

topdecko

I donated regularly in the UK - 40+ donations including plasma at times.
Have found it so much more difficult in ireland - in fairness i was in Bristol and lived close to Southmead which had a fixed donation centre. However once i registered they would call me frequently and arranged appointments for me etc. I have found the web interface and experience trying to book here extremely difficult and indeed unhelpful. I would donate in the morning but need the system to help in terms arrangement of appointments. frustrating

AndrewJRenko

topdecko wrote: »

I donated regularly in the UK - 40+ donations including plasma at times.
Have found it so much more difficult in ireland - in fairness i was in Bristol and lived close to Southmead which had a fixed donation centre. However once i registered they would call me frequently and arranged appointments for me etc. I have found the web interface and experience trying to book here extremely difficult and indeed unhelpful. I would donate in the morning but need the system to help in terms arrangement of appointments. frustrating

Have you tried phoning them?

Sardonicat

Neyite wrote: »

They have that on the standard questionnaire. (attached BT400 (page 2) is for regular donors, BT 1 is for new donors or donors returning)

I genuinely don't see how the extra precautions for men who sleep with men are necessary. Just have all the questions needed on one form.