Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the FAQ. We aim to answer a number of the most frequently asked questions here, should you have any questions which aren't addressed here, please feel free to contact us.

What are the basic requirements for being a blood donor?

Donors should be generally fit and well and weigh over 50 kg (7 stone 12 pounds). They should be over the age of 17 and have an adequate haemoglobin ('blood count'). Haemoglobin levels have been set at 12.5 g/dl for females and 13.5 g/dl for males. The upper age limit is up to the sixty-sixth birthday for first-time donors. Regular donors (i.e. those who give at least one donation in a two year period) can continue to donate beyond 70 years, provided they remain otherwise fit and well.

How often can I donate blood?

Donors will normally be called every 16 weeks and donors may give up to three times in any one year period.

What is the procedure involved in becoming a donor?

Donor should enrol with NIBTS or alternatively drop in at any blood donor session. Personal details will be taken and the donor registered on our computer system, Pulse. A donation may be taken on the first visit if the donor completes the HealthCheck questionnaire and satisfies the relevant donor screening procedure.

What is involved in the donor HealthCheck questionnaire?

This is a structured questionnaire, which asks important questions about the donor's general health, medication, lifestyle and travel. These questions are important to ensure that the donation procedure is safe for the donor and that the donation is safe for the recipient of the blood. It also includes a declaration consenting to the donation being tested for certain transfusion transmissible infections (see following FAQs).

New donors and donors who haven't given in the last two years (lapsed donors) must complete a personal interview with our Medical Officer or Registered General Nurse on session.

What are donations currently tested for?

All donations are tested for HIV I & II and HCV (Hepatitis C virus) by antibody tests and nucleic acid testing (NAT). Hepatitis B surface antigen, HTLV antibodies and syphilis antibodies are also tested for.

Will these tests absolutely exclude infection by these viruses in the donor?

The short answer is no. Infection is screened for by antibody tests and as it takes the body some time (days to weeks depending on the infection) to form antibodies, there will be a time period when the donor could have the infection but not yet have formed detectable antibodies. This is known as the 'window period'. One way of reducing the window period is to test for direct viral material, called nucleic acid testing. This type of test is available for HIV and HCV. However, in very early HIV or Hepatitis C infection, this test may also be negative.

This is why the donor HealthCheck questionnaire includes important questions on lifestyle, as we cannot rely exclusively on laboratory testing for ensuring the safety of blood.

What are the complications of blood donation?

For the vast majority of people, blood donation is a very straighforward and trouble-free experience. However, occasional problems can occur:

BRUISING: Bruises can develop when it has been difficult to obtain a blood donation, or when there has been some seepage of blood from the vein into the arm tissues after giving blood. Most bruises are small and not serious. Rarely, the bruise may be larger and painful. If this occurs, you should contact our Donor Helpline on 0500 534669, or your general practitioner.

FAINTING: A few people can feel faint after giving blood. To try and avoid this, you will be asked to rest after your donation for a short time (a longer rest for first time donors) and you will be given something to drink. We also advise donors to take plenty of fluids and to avoid strenuous exercise for the next few hours. You should obviously also avoid taking part in any 'hazardous hobbies', such as rock climbing, scuba diving etc. or in any activity which could cause a risk to you or others if you were to feel faint or weak. Our staff on session are fully trained in dealing with donors who feel faint and will make sure you do not leave the session until you are feeling well. If however, you faint after you have left the session (called a 'delayed faint'), please let us know.

UNCOMMON RISKS: Very rarely, insertion of the needle may cause irritation of a nerve close to the vein, or may cause inflammation in the arm. These complications are unusual, but if you do develop symptoms that you are concerned about, please contact our Medical Helpline on 0500 534669 for advice.

How important is blood donation?

Blood donation is vitally important for proper delivery of health care. Blood transfusion is life saving and life enhancing.

The clearest indication for the transfusion of red cells is massive acute blood loss following a traffic accident, trauma or obstetric catastrophe.

Most blood transfusions are given to cover surgical procedures where there is modest blood loss. This enables elderly patients, for example, to have routine operations such as total hip replacement, surgery for cancer, cardiac bypass surgery for correction of coronary artery disease and vascular surgery for repair of aneurysm. The advent of blood transfusion therapy and the ready availability of banked blood has enabled surgical programmes to be adapted and the range of surgical procedures to be extended.

Blood transfusion therapy is very important in cancer care and includes the use of specialised blood components such as platelets to treat low platelet counts following chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for the cancer.

Blood transfusion therapy is vitally important in the care of very premature, severe low birth weight infants and this contributes in no small measure to the improved survival in this patient group.