Irish hospitals warned of serious challenges to blood stocks

Irish hospitals have been warned of serious challenges to blood stocks as an ongoing consequence of Covid-19, while similar problems in the UK are now threatening back-up supplies.

This week the National Transfusion Advisory Group (NTAG) told doctors their help was "urgently needed" to ward off a national "amber" alert. This occurs if stocks dip below two days' supply and triggers the cancellation of elective surgeries requiring blood.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) said current stocks were at just over four days, but there was a need to build this up ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. Currently donor appointment no-shows are running at up to 20 per cent.

“With the impact of the pandemic we are not procuring enough donations to meet demand,” an NTAG circular said this week.

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“Unfortunately all blood transfusion services in the UK are now experiencing difficulty with blood supply, and contingency importation may not be available.”

Hospitals have been urged to take a number of steps in an attempt to limit the effects of dwindling supply, including the administration of single-unit transfusions.

“I don’t think the public realises how close we are to an alert,” one informed source said of the situation, speaking on the basis of anonymity.

Improve supply

A number of measures have been taken to improve supply. In a reversal of pandemic caution, healthcare staff can once again donate, while the deferral period for Covid-19 infected donors has been revised down from 14 days post-recovery to seven.

However, with as many as one in five donors not showing up to appointments, primarily due to the high rate of Covid, the IBTS warned this was having a cumulative effect on blood collection.

"On each occasion when we sought support from the NHSBT (the NHS Blood and Transplant service in the UK) they were in a position to help us," a spokeswoman said. "This is not necessarily always going to be the case – Covid-19 is continuing to have an adverse effect on blood services throughout the world."

Last month the IBTS announced it was to import a consignment of blood to address the shortage for the third time in a year.

As well as a new digital and radio campaign running to appeal for donors, five additional clinics are due this Sunday to bolster stocks.