Vol. 530 No. 3
165 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if operations have been cancelled due to the lack of blood supplies in any other health board region over the past number of weeks, similar to that which occurred in the Western Health Board. [3662/01]
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service has experienced difficulties in recent weeks in ensuring that there are adequate blood supplies available to meet all hospital requirements. To counter the current seasonal shortage in blood, the IBTS is conducting a major campaign through the media at national and local levels to advise of blood supply difficulties and to encourage more donors to come forward. Additional blood donor clinics have also been provided to facilitate donors. I am happy to report that donors have responded generously to this campaign and currently there are adequate supplies available to hospitals to meet both emergency and elective procedures.
With regard to the specific information requested by the Deputy, my Department has asked the regional chief executive officer of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, the chief executive officers of the health boards and the chief executive officers of voluntary hospitals outside the eastern region to investigate the position in their hospitals in respect of the period 25 January to 8 February 2001. The position is that only two health boards have advised my Department that operations were postponed due to shortage of blood. Two elective operations were cancelled in the North Western Health Board. In the Western Health Board region 38 elective operations were cancelled in Galway Regional Hospital, and five in Mayo General Hospital. No operations have been cancelled in the Midland, Mid-Western, North Eastern, South Eastern and Southern Health Board regions. Full details are not yet available in respect of the ERHA, and I will forward the information to the Deputy as soon as it comes to hand.
The IBTS maintain regular contact with health boards and voluntary hospitals in relation to blood supplies and during the period in question, 25 January to 8 February, informed them of difficulties in meeting their requirements for blood for elective surgery. Adequate supplies were maintained at all times for emergency procedures. Blood supplies for elective surgery were distributed in such a way that the shortage of available blood was spread evenly throughout the country. The IBTS is available to hospitals to discuss strategies on managing the impact of blood shortages, and have arranged to meet with staff in the Western Health Board on 26 February next for this purpose.
