AQW 2750/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health whether he intends to remove any differentiation in arrangements for giving blood between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 26 February 2020
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 26 February 2020
- Answer due by
- 12 March 2020
- Answered
- 21 August 2020177 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
In July 2017 the committee on the Safety of Blood, Organs and Tissues (SaBTO) published the Donor Selection Criteria Report which made recommendations on blood donor deferral rules. I considered and decided to adopt SaBTO’s recommendations in February 2020 bringing Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK where the changes were implemented in November 2017. I announced the changes on 29 April 2020 and the new policy took effect from 1 June 2020. The press release can be accessed via the link below.
(www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/rules-blood-donation-set-change)