Can I Donate?
Basic requirements of a platelet donor
Age - Platelet Donor
Weight - Platelet Donor
Blood Count - Platelet Donor
How often can I donate platelets?
You can donate once you are recovering.
You should wait until it is healing and for a few days after the pain has subsided before donating.
You can donate once you are recovering. If you required antibiotics you must wait 7 days from completing the course.
You can donate if it has been more than 2 weeks since recovery.
You can donate if it has been more than 2 weeks since recovery.
You should not donate if taking antibiotics. You must wait at least 7 days from completing antibiotics before donating.
You can donate if it has been more than 2 weeks since recovery, (you must not donate if Diarrhoea is due to Inflammatory bowel disease).
We also ask you to contact us if you develop diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the 2 weeks after donating. FREECALL 08085 534 669.
You can donate if you have:
Provided you have not had any diabetic related complications, and any oral medication you are taking has not been changed in type or dose in the last 4 weeks. You cannot donate if you are taking insulin.
Provided you have not had any complications, and any medication you are taking has not been changed in type or dose in the last 4 weeks.
Provided you have not had any complications.
Blood from Genetic Haemochromatosis (GH) patients can be used for transfusion to patients. GH patients must meet the same selection rules as apply to other blood donors. GH patients wishing to donate their blood can attend the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) instead of the hospital or GP clinic following a referral from their supervising doctor. For more information please contact us.
There are a number of medical conditions that exclude you from becoming a donor. This is to protect both your health and the health of the recipient.
You can not donate if you have:
You can donate if you have asthma provided you have no symptoms at the time of donation and you do not require high doses of anti-asthma medication.
A 'mini-stroke'
Or other central nervous system disease.
Even if you had this a long time ago.
Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis.
(e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE – systemic lupus erythematous) if you have required treatment to suppress the condition in the last 12 months. Painkilling drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy such as physiotherapy are not considered treatments to suppress the condition.
The taking of some medication may make a donor ineligible. In most circumstances it is the condition that medication is being taken for, rather than the medication itself, that will lead to deferral.
You must wait at least 7 days from completing antibiotics before donation.
You can donate if taking contraceptives.
If you are on treatment for the menopause, its symptoms, or for osteoporosis prevention you can donate.
You can donate provided your medication has not been changed in type or dose in the last 4 weeks. You must also not have had any complications of your condition.
You can donate while on medication, if you have Heart Disease or other complications of high cholesterol you can not donate.
You can donate provided your medication has not been changed in type or dose in the last 4 weeks. You should not donate if you are on insulin or have had any diabetic related complications.
Medication for anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder does not exclude you as a donor provided your condition is stable.
The reason for taking painkillers will be assessed by our staff. If you are otherwise fit to donate, we can accept you as a donor. The blood of anyone who has taken medication in the last 7 days that can interfere with platelet function (e.g. aspirin, plavix, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can be used for red cells but may not be suitable for platelets.
You should not donate if receiving anticoagulant treatment. (e.g. warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban and others ) -
Wait 24 hours before donating.
Wait 7 days before donating.
You should not donate if you have had any surgical procedure within the last 6 months resulting in an inability to return to normal activities of daily living (e.g. routine housework, previous employment and/or driving).
For minor surgery you must wait at least 7 days before donating.
You should not donate if you have had any flexible endoscopic procedure (e.g. flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, OGD) within the last 4 months.
If the examination has been carried out with a rigid endoscope (e.g. colposcopies, most arthroscopes & laproscopies) and you are well and not waiting for further tests or results, you should be able to donate.
You should not donate if you are waiting for surgery that is likely to require transfusion or you are having surgery for any serious medical condition.
If you have visited any malarial area please wait for 12 months after your return before donating blood. If you have ever been resident in a malarial area for 6 months or more, and at least 6 months have passed since leaving the area, we can offer you a test for malarial antibody. If it is negative you may then donate. If you have had malaria diagnosed in the past you may donate if:
West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus, which causes a wide spectrum of infection. This may range from no or minimal symptoms to death. It is geographically widespread, including North America and areas in Europe. It has caused illness and death post transfusion and post transplantation of tissues and organs. It is spread by mosquitoes and so is more prevalent at times of the year when mosquitoes are active. West Nile Virus endemic areas include:
Please note that areas affected by WNV may change on a frequent basis. For the most up to date information, please search under country name at this link: Geographical Disease Risk Index If you have travelled to a WNV area between 1st May and 30th November provided you have neither symptoms or evidence of infection you can donate 28 days after you return to Northern Ireland.
Chagas disease is caused by infection with a protozoal parasite, trypanosoma cruzi. It is a persistent infection that is known to be transmitted by transfusion. The insect that passes the infection on is only common in rural areas. It is very common in parts of South or Central America and is often symptomless. You must not donate if:
We may be able to accept you as a donor if at least 6 months have passed following the date of last exposure, provided a test for T.cruzi antibody is negative. Short term trips such as camping or trekking in the jungle in South or Central America are usually not considered of high enough risk to warrant exclusion.
You should not donate if you have had a tattoo, ear or body piercing, or permanent and semi-permanent make-up within the last 4 months.
If you have had acupuncture performed by NHS staff or outside the NHS by a Qualified Health Care Professional, you can donate.
If you were treated by someone who was not a registered Health Care Professional, you'll have to wait 4 months before you can donate.
You should not donate if you are pregnant or less than 6 months have passed since delivery or pregnancy. During pregnancy a woman loses a considerable amount of iron to the baby. It is important to allow time for this lost iron to be replaced through the mother’s diet.
Sexual Relations & Lifestyle
You should NEVER give blood if:
Do not give blood for at least 3 months after sex (even if you used a condom or other protective) with:
- HIV positive or HTLV positive
- a Hepatitis B or C carrier
- or infected with Syphilis
You must not give blood if in the past 3 months you have:
Previous Blood Transfusion
You should not donate if you have received, or think you may have received a blood transfusion anywhere in the world since January 1st 1980. This also applies to any human tissue you may have received from another individual (dura mater grafts, corneal and scleral tissue grafts, human pituitary derived extracts) This was introduced in 2004 as one of the measures to reduce the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD).
You should not donate if diagnosed with any form of CJD, or you have had two or more blood relatives develop a prion-associated disease.
Waiting for test results or investigations
A donor must not donate if waiting for investigation or the results of investigations for an undiagnosed condition which might lead to deferral.
You can donate for 'routine' investigations, such as:
You should not donate if you have had any flexible endoscopic procedure (e.g. flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, OGD) within the last 4 months.
If the examination has been carried out with a rigid endoscope (e.g. colposcopies, most arthroscopes & laproscopies) and you are well and not waiting for further tests or results, you should be able to donate.
You must not donate having received a Live immunisations (such as: BCG, MMR, oral polio, smallpox) -
Non-live immunisations (e.g. Influenza):
A hazardous activity is something that may put either the donor or others at high risk of serious injury or death if the donor were to suffer a delayed faint following donation.
Hazardous Occupations examples include but are not limited to -
Hazardous Hobbies examples include -
You must not donate if you are required to undertake a hazardous activity following donation on the same day.
You must not donate if you are known to be positive for:
 
 
 
Please see the travel section for more information.
(e.g. chlamydia, genital herpes, and syphilis). Note many donors with treated syphilis will persistently test positive to the screening tests, even if treated many years ago. Therefore, if you have ever had syphilis unfortunately you will not be able to donate.