Donors told take it easy as blood demand falls
A decline in red-blood-cell demand from district health boards throughout the country has meant the New Zealand Blood Service will soon cut back on its blood-drive visits to Invercargill.
NZB marketing manager Paul Hayes said since clinicians had been adhering to campaigns such as the Auckland DHB ‘‘Why use two when one will do?’’ – which aimed to manage blood supplies better – hospitals had been requiring fewer red blood cells.
The decline had been happening for about two years, he said.
Southlanders were known as generous donors, however NZB visits would probably go from six to five, Mr Hayes said.
‘‘There’s no point in collecting blood we can’t use.’’
Red blood cells are used to treat chronic anaemia from disorders such as kidney failure or cancers, as well as acute blood loss as a result of trauma or surgery.
Blood donations were still needed to meet a strong demand for plasmas – which treat patients following trauma or transplantation – and platelets, which control bleeding following cardiac surgery and trauma, Mr Hayes said.
As well as reducing Invercargill visits, the number of appointments made during each drive would also be limited.
Alison Keast, team leader for donor recruitment, says in a letter to donors that they were ‘‘very much’’ valued and it was important that by donating once or twice a year, donors would remain in the database.
Appointments already made by donors would not be cancelled but it would mean regular donors might give blood only three times a year, instead of four.
Mr Hayes said cutbacks in visits would happen around New Zealand, not just Invercargill.
All blood collected in the South Island went to Christchurch and was redistributed by blood type, which meant a donation in Invercargill could go anywhere in the South Island, he said.
Southern District Health Board Medical Directorate medical director Brendon Rae said he understood there had been a gradual rationalisation in the use of red blood products over a number of years because of the development of more efficient clinical practises.
Board spokeswoman Stacy Belser said the health board did not have a campaign to manage supplies such as red blood cells the way Auckland DHB did.