§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many blood banks there are in each health board area; and if he will increase the number.
§ Mr. AlisonHealth and social services boards do not hold supplies of blood centrally. Individual hospitals which use 471W blood hold their own stocks: these are replenished as necessary by the regional blood transfusion service, which is based in Belfast. The question of increasing the number of blood banks does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has of the quantity of blood donated by voluntary donors in the most recent 12-month period and of the quantity needed.
§ Mr. AlisonAn estimated 34,000 litres of blood were donated in Northern Ireland in 1979. This was sufficient to meet the demand for blood transfusions in that year and also to meet most of the requirment for blood products. Other blood products are purchased as necessary from commercial sources.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what quantity of blood is presently being stored in blood banks in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. AlisonThe quantity of blood held by individual hospitals, and centrally by the blood transfusion service, is constantly fluctuating with demand, and it would not therefore be meaningful to estimate how much is being held at any particular time.