Written Question · S4W-06205 · Session 4
How the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service ensures that everyone with a communication support need has the necessary information a…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service ensures that everyone with a communication support need has the necessary information about (a) giving and (b) receiving blood.
The answer
The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is aware of its duties under the Equality Act and the Disability Discrimination Act and will, whenever and wherever reasonable, try to provide facilities for individuals whose first language is not English, or who have other difficulties in communicating. Potential donors with such difficulties are advised to seek advice from their local Blood Service Help Line before attending a donor session to ascertain whether their needs can be met.
To comply with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005, SNBTS must provide every donor with accurate educational materials, which are written in terms that can be understood by members of the general public. Every donor must complete a health and medical history questionnaire and undergo a personal interview with a health professional. Every donor must also provide written informed consent to proceed with the donation process, countersigned by the qualified health professional responsible for obtaining the health history.
A qualified health professional may assist a donor in the completion of the health and medical history questionnaire and in understanding the consent statement and any other information provided by SNBTS. To facilitate comprehension of the donor information leaflets, the health and medical history questionnaire and consent statements, SNBTS uses alternative formats, e.g. a language other than English, audio, computer, or Braille. Donors must be able to demonstrate clearly that they have understood this material. At present there is no standardised way of assessing comprehension, so this will be a personal judgement made by the qualified health professional.
As explained in the answer to S4W-06202 on 26 March, the UK Donor Selection Guidelines offer guidance on the use of interpreters. As noted in the answer to S4W-06200 on 26 March 2012, SNBTS is not responsible for the direct care of those receiving blood.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
To comply with the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005, SNBTS must provide every donor with accurate educational materials, which are written in terms that can be understood by members of the general public. Every donor must complete a health and medical history questionnaire and undergo a personal interview with a health professional. Every donor must also provide written informed consent to proceed with the donation process, countersigned by the qualified health professional responsible for obtaining the health history.
A qualified health professional may assist a donor in the completion of the health and medical history questionnaire and in understanding the consent statement and any other information provided by SNBTS. To facilitate comprehension of the donor information leaflets, the health and medical history questionnaire and consent statements, SNBTS uses alternative formats, e.g. a language other than English, audio, computer, or Braille. Donors must be able to demonstrate clearly that they have understood this material. At present there is no standardised way of assessing comprehension, so this will be a personal judgement made by the qualified health professional.
As explained in the answer to S4W-06202 on 26 March, the UK Donor Selection Guidelines offer guidance on the use of interpreters. As noted in the answer to S4W-06200 on 26 March 2012, SNBTS is not responsible for the direct care of those receiving blood.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-06205 by reference.