Twerto Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 I was at a funeral south this past week, and part of it highlighted the need for blood donors and to raise money for a certain Children's Hospice in Glasgow. I went back to where I was staying and got talking with friends. and we all decided it was something we should do, my two friends went the next day and I had to travel back up to Shetland so couldn't go but thinking I would donate when I got home.. ( at the back of my mind thinking they probably wouldn't accept it due to the junk i have passed through my body in previous years. ) but I was told that it is not possible to donate blood up here ( by a friend ), it got me wondering why not? my friend mentioned it was due to how it needs to be stored, which I accepted but found a bit strange all the same.. So i was just wondering if anyone knew more about why Shetland doesn't have a blood donor system in place.. What and why are there complications in the process that prevents us from doing it. again i admit full ignorance to this. but it sounds to me something that would be simply resolved after all Shetland can generate thousands or was it millions to get a cat machine for the isles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollian Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 I regulary gave blood when I lived in Aberdeen. One of the first things I did when I moved back to Shetland was to find out how to give blood here. I was told I coulnd't give blood in Shetland, but was not told why. I do know people who used to be called into the hospital to give blood in an emergency, I think they no longer need to do this as blood can be brought from south quickly and there is some stored here for emergency use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheesht Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 I'm not 100% sure but I think it is a storage issue, not space but monitoring and management of the “product†etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarotangel Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 that's what my Dad was told back in the'70's that he couldn't give blood up here because they needed a special place to store it in the hospital. I thought it might have changed by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 The must perform pretty extensive tests on every batch of blood they're given. Is there a haematology unit at the GBH with these capabilities and staff? I thought that any tests done via the GP had to be sent south for testing, so wouldn't that be the case with any taken for donation purposes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautim Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 I think that part of the problem is that they don't use all the donated blood as 'whole blood' - separating it up into the constituent parts for different jobs. Some of these have a fairly limited shelf life. Apart from that there may also be a problem with getting all the testing they do done.I'm not a medic- this is just from what I remember from a tour of the facilities in Edinburgh 20 yrs ago given by someone from Sandwick who worked for the centre there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2lb_saucermeat Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I inquired with the local nurse, and she said it was because Shetland don't have the facilities to donate blood. And people don't come up to do it because the would get far more in Scotland Mainland than Shetland in the same duration of time. A sausage I know as I also would like to do my bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorgrim Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 i gave blood when i lived in aberdeen, when i moved to shetland i tried to do the same, at that time there was an emergency donor panel, which i was on. but this ws done away with several years ago. no idea why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Could it not be a possibility to have say a donor day, where specialits go up to shetland, collect blood from donors and fly back down the same day to put the blood into storage?? I know it may cost but is'nt blood more valuable? Well dont twerto for raising this point!! And for the people who do have access to donor point please, please. please donate!! You get a chance to sit down and have free cup of tea/coffee and biscuits after!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Could it not be a possibility to have say a donor day, where specialits go up to shetland, collect blood from donors and fly back down the same day to put the blood into storage??The problem with this, as pointed out by 2lb_saucermeat above, is that it's much more cost effective and straight-forward to do this on the mainland where they'll get a bigger response. If you're really keen on giving blood, take a trip to Aberdeen and visit a clinic there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twerto Posted June 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 The problem is they aren't getting a big response from south. so why waste what could be a good chance of a supply.. not saying everyone would be interested in giving blood.. but that is one of the reason i started this thread. just to see what sort of reaction it got. If you make people go south it will just alienate a vast majority of the population that may want to give blood. surely it is more cost effective as Mia suggested to have monthly trip ( or what ever was deemed worth while ) with some blood than no blood? by using the Council plane to Aberdeen than making people have to travel south individually your saving on the economic and environmental footprints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Do you suppose they would get a worthwhile response here though? Great if they do but a waste to temporarily close the service elsewhere while folks and equipment are moved up here. I'm just thinking that it's the net quantity that's important, not where it is obtained. By coming to Shetland they may get a bit, but would it be more than they're getting anyway by staying put? I've no idea if this is the case or not, just trying to suggest why it might be this way. Would having a whip-round to provide permanent facilities like we did for the CAT machine be worthwhile? (The suggestion of going south was a joke, btw But no harm in stopping by while you are there for other reasons) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellsbells Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I have had to have blood and plasma tranfusions at the Gilbert Bain and I agree with Mia's view that maybe a donor clinic could be set up where the blood bank in Aberdeen come north two or three times a year for donors. I also think that people here would respond to a worthwhile cause like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Here's an idea: Maybe we can obtain pledges from enough people to donate blood over the course of a couple of weeks. They can come and take blood safe in the knowledge that there'll be enough folks interested to make it worth while. I'd sign. How often can one give blood, by the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styles Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Its normally eight to twelve weeks after the previous donation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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