Changes to the rules concerning gay blood donors in Northern Ireland were proposed in December 2020. The relaxation of the rules were supposed to be implemented on Monday (June 14), World Blood Donor Day.
These changes will still take place in Wales and England, but Northern Ireland is behind. The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) says the delay is down to a lack of staff and training resources.
Men who have sex with men wanting to donate will have to wait a few more months, as the changes will hopefully take effect on September 6th.
In a conversation with Attitude Magazine, NIBTS’ Supply Chain Manager, Matt Gillespie, said it was regrettable that the changes can’t be implemented in Northern Ireland at the same time as the.