The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is urgently seeking an additional 2,000 blood donations over the next four weeks as most blood groups have fallen to under three days of stock.
Director of Donor Services and Logistics Paul McKinney said the IBTS aims to have seven days supply but currently O negative, A negative and B negative blood types are under three days supply and O positive (which accounts for nearly half the population) is especially low at three and a half days supply.
Mr McKinney said there has been a consistently high hospital demand for blood over the summer months.
In August, the IBTS issued its highest amount of blood units to hospitals in over a decade.
The high demand has continued through September with sickness levels, holiday travels combined with the traditional back to school demands, all having an impact on donor availability, according to the service.
The IBTS said it needs to boost collections by nearly 500 donations per week in all blood groups to be able to continue to meet the demand.
Mr McKinney said the service has already had to take precautions to reserve the blood supply.
''A pre-amber alert letter was issued to all hospitals on 27 September, restricting issues of certain blood groups 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."
The next escalation of the blood shortage is the issuing of an amber alert letter and this will have major implications on the health service according to the donor services director.
"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,’’ Mr McKinley said.
The service is asking regular donors who are texted for upcoming clinics over the coming weeks to make an extra effort to attend which it said is vital to address the increased demand from hospitals.
The IBTS is particularly encouraging new donors of African heritage to join the national blood donor panel to help diversify the donor base and improve blood type matches for patients.
Potential new donors can visit giveblood.ie and take an eligibility test or call the service directly at 1800 731137 to make an appointment.
