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# Disabled donor - Whole blood and components

## Essential information

Obligatory

  All donors must:

  1. Fully understand the donation process.
  2. Give their informed consent to the process and to the testing of their blood for infections that may affect its suitability for use.
  3. Be able to use the bleed facilities provided without risking their own safety or the safety of others (donors must not be bled in a wheelchair).
Discretionary

  Donors with difficulty in reading:

  Ensure by questioning the donor that they:

  1. Understand and fully complete the tick-box questionnaire.
  2. Give valid consent to donation and to the testing of their blood for diseases that may affect its suitability for use.

## Supporting information

See if relevant
  - Central nervous system disease
  - Neurobehavioral problems
  - Spina bifida
  - Urinary catheterisation
Additional information

  The UK Blood and Tissue Services are aware of their duties under Disability Discrimination Legislation and will, whenever and wherever reasonable, try to provide facilities for disabled individuals. Potential donors with a disability are advised to seek advice from their local Blood and Tissue Service before attending a donor session to see if their needs can be met. It is however important to note the following.

  Some donors, especially those with spinal cord injuries can have significant problems with regulating their blood pressure and as such may be at a greater risk of vasovagal events following blood donation. People who are in wheelchairs are more at risk if they suffer a delayed vasovagal event in the chair, and are alone, as they could remain upright and may suffer prolonged cerebral hypoxia. This can result in permanent brain injury or in extreme circumstances death. For this reason donors must not donate from a wheelchair. Some potential donors may have indwelling shunts and/or catheters in situ which will mean that they are not eligible to donate.

  To comply with Part 2 of the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 (BSQR) every donor must:

  1. Be provided with accurate educational materials, which are written in terms which can be understood by members of the general public (Part A 1-13).
  2. Complete a health and medical history questionnaire and undergo a personal interview performed by a healthcare professional (defined in the BSQR as a doctor, a nurse or a donor carer) trained and qualified in the requirements of the BSQR (Part B 15).
  3. Provide written informed consent to proceed with the donation process which must be countersigned by the qualified healthcare professional responsible for obtaining the health history (Part B 16 (a) - (f)).

  A qualified healthcare 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 the Blood Service. To facilitate comprehension, it is permissible to use alternative formats (e.g. audio, Braille, computer or alternative language) for the donor information leaflets, the health and medical history questionnaire and consent statements. The donor must be able to clearly demonstrate 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 healthcare professional.

  Guidance on the use of interpreters is presented in chapter 3 of the Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services in the UK (Red Book).

  To comply with both the BSQR and Health and Safety Regulations no donor can be accepted if it unnecessarily puts their own safety or the safety of others at risk.

Reason for change:
  The guidance on third party interpreters has been moved to Chapter 3 of the Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services in the UK (Red Book).
Version details:

  WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 77 (18 July 2025)

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