Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 4

Written Answers. - Blood Utilisation.

Bernard Allen

Question:

92 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on a situation where the new task force to oversee the best usage of available blood supplied following the vCJD donor curbs will not meet until December 2001. [27359/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The first meeting of the National Blood Strategy Implementation Group – NBSIG – is taking place today, 8 November 2001. The NBSIG comprises a number of persons with particular interest and expertise in blood utilisation. I am confident the National Blood Strategy Implementation Group will play an important part in supporting the development of blood policy. I express my appreciation of the efforts which the group is making and will continue to make in carrying out its remit, which is to support the development of best practice with regard to blood utilisation in hospitals. In particular, the group will address the following issues: the impact of the Irish Blood Transfusion's donor deferral policies on the blood supply; improvements to blood stock management throughout the health services; the implementation of the guideline for the transfusion of red blood cells in surgical patients issued by the National Blood Users Group; the implementation of alternatives to allogeneic blood transfusion, allogeneic transfusion is blood transfused from one person to another; the implementation of further guidelines to be issued by the National Blood Users Group. For my part, I will ensure that the group is supported in implementing its remit.

As the Deputy is aware, considerable developments are taking place in blood transfusion. Since the implementation earlier this year of the new deferral policies in relation to persons who resided in the UK for a cumulative period of five years during the period 1980 to 1996, the IBTS has recruited more than 10,000 new donors. Despite the fact that the new deferral policy has resulted in a loss of 5% of previously eligible donors, which is significant given the continual pressure on the IBTS to meet demands for blood supplies, the service has maintained an adequate blood supply. This is due in no small measure to the generous response of donors to the Blood for Life Week which I launched on 24 September 2001. The IBTS will continue its efforts to further improve the blood supply and increase donor support.

In addition to measures to address the blood supply, a significant initiative in the area of blood usage was undertaken earlier this year when I announced a new guideline for transfusion of red blood cells in surgical patients. The guideline provides specific advice to clinicians in relation to best practice in transfusion and the application of strategies which reduce or avoid transfusion as part of the management of patients requiring surgery. The guideline recommends that the use of proven strategies to reduce exposure to allogeneic transfusion should be made widely available and applied where appropriate. Such strategies include autologous transfusion techniques and surgical, anaesthetic and pharmacological techniques to reduce blood loss.