Extra donor clinics amid fears over blood levels

THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is hoping that enough people will attend its special donor clinics tomorrow to rule out the risk of hospitals cancelling surgery next week.

The blood bank is concerned that hospitals will be forced to cancel non-emergency operations as a result of stocks running to dangerously low levels because of the Siberian weather conditions.

IBTS operations director Paddy Bowler said the blood supply was currently at between five and six days as a result of a 20% fall in donations earlier in the week.