ARCBS background information 1 Who we are The Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS) is responsible for providing quality blood products, tissues and related services to the Australian community We are an operating division of the Red Cross Society from who we receive < 1% funding A not for profit organisation, we are government funded through the National Blood Authority (NBA) Established in 1929 the Blood Service was funded solely by Red Cross donations until after WWII Moved from being a state based services to one national organisation in 1996 2,300 staff, 1,000 volunteers and over 500,000 volunteer blood donors. 2 Why we’re here To ensure a sufficient, suitable and sustainable donor panel to supply reliable and safe blood and blood products to meet the needs of the Australian Community 3 Blood 101 Red blood cells Used for anaemia and bleeding from trauma or surgery Lasts 42 days in storage Plasma Plasma transports nutrients & carries away waste Products derived from plasma (through a process called fractionation) are used for: treatment for prevention of tetanus, hepatitis B and chicken pox treatments for liver failure; auto-immune diseases; and Haemophilia Platelets Platelets help the blood to clot Used to control bleeding, especially with leukaemia patients Platelets last for just 5 days in storage (on rocking trays so they don’t stick together) 4 Eight blood types % of the Australian population 5 Three donation types Whole blood Given at fixed and mobile sites. Can donate every 12 weeks. Plasmapheresis You must have given at least one whole blood donation. Some fixed sites only. Can donate every 2 weeks. Plateletpheresis You must have given at least one whole blood donation. Some fixed sites only. Can donate every 2-4 weeks. 8% 90% 6 Meeting the collection plan The collection plan details the number of each type of donation required: Whole blood Plasmapheresis Plateletpheresis Fluctuates throughout the year based on expected demand Broken down by donor centre – each centre has a daily, weekly, monthly and annual “collection target” to achieve. 7 Significant growth required Whole Blood 1.5% growth in collections required, in line with population Plasmapheresis 19% growth, year on year for next 10 years Plateletpheresis 16.5% growth, year on year for next 10 years While collections increases in whole blood are relatively small, a large whole blood panel growth is required to account for donors converting to plasma and platelet panels. 8 Donor centre locations Plus over 1,000 mobile sites each year including shopping centres, community halls, schools and businesses 9 Who does donated blood help? 10 The donation experience Having made an appointment, register at the front desk Complete a donor questionnaire form (60 questions) Have an interview during which your haemoglobin (iron) levels will be tested Give blood (10 – 15 minutes) Relax and enjoy some refres.

1. ARCBS background information
1
Who we are
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS) is
responsible for providing quality blood products, tissues and
related services to the Australian community
We are an operating division of the Red Cross Society from who
we receive < 1% funding
A not for profit organisation, we are government funded through
the National Blood Authority (NBA)
Established in 1929 the Blood Service was funded solely by Red
Cross donations until after WWII
Moved from being a state based services to one national
organisation in 1996
2,300 staff, 1,000 volunteers and over 500,000 volunteer blood
donors.
2
Why we’re here
To ensure a sufficient, suitable and sustainable donor panel to
supply reliable and safe blood and blood products to meet the
needs of the Australian Community
3

2. Blood 101
Red blood cells
Used for anaemia and bleeding from trauma or surgery
Lasts 42 days in storage
Plasma
Plasma transports nutrients & carries away waste
Products derived from plasma (through a process called
fractionation) are used for: treatment for prevention of tetanus,
hepatitis B and chicken pox treatments for liver failure; auto-
immune diseases; and Haemophilia
Platelets
Platelets help the blood to clot
Used to control bleeding, especially with leukaemia patients
Platelets last for just 5 days in storage (on rocking trays so they
don’t stick together)
4
Eight blood types
% of the Australian population
5
Three donation types

3. Whole blood
Given at fixed and mobile sites. Can donate every 12 weeks.
Plasmapheresis
You must have given at least one whole blood donation. Some
fixed sites only. Can donate every 2 weeks.
Plateletpheresis
You must have given at least one whole blood donation. Some
fixed sites only. Can donate every 2-4 weeks.
8%
90%
6
Meeting the collection plan
The collection plan details the number of each type of donation
required:
Whole blood
Plasmapheresis
Plateletpheresis
Fluctuates throughout the year based on expected demand
Broken down by donor centre – each centre has a daily, weekly,
monthly and annual “collection target” to achieve.
7

4. Significant growth required
Whole Blood
1.5% growth in collections required, in line with population
Plasmapheresis
19% growth, year on year for next 10 years
Plateletpheresis
16.5% growth, year on year for next 10 years
While collections increases in whole blood are relatively small,
a large whole blood panel growth is required to account for
donors converting to plasma and platelet panels.
8
Donor centre locations
Plus over 1,000 mobile sites each year including shopping
centres, community halls, schools and businesses
9
Who does donated blood help?

5. 10
The donation experience
Having made an appointment, register at the front desk
Complete a donor questionnaire form (60 questions)
Have an interview during which your haemoglobin (iron) levels
will be tested
Give blood (10 – 15 minutes)
Relax and enjoy some refreshments
Entire process takes approximately 1 hour
11
Potential donors - motivations for giving blood
Have been affected personally by use of blood.
Normalised behavior – mum/dad donate so I do.
Do your bit for the community.
Feel good about yourself.
Gain esteem of others – family, peers, employers.
Realisation ‘it could happen to me’ or ‘people I love.’
Sources: Non Donor Attitudinal Research, Woolcott, Dec 2004
Social Capital and Blood Donation: The Australian
Case.
12
Potential donors - barriers to giving blood
View that there is enough blood – and it keeps indefinitely.
There is a lack of ownership to giving blood: “It’s something
someone else does”
Simply not a top-of-mind issue

6. Concern it will hurt, be unpleasant: “it’s a needle in the vein
thing with me”
Fear of contracting something or discovering something they
didn’t know about
Effort: “Its easier to give money than blood – you’re less
involved”
Convenience: too hard, I’m too busy
Sources: Non Donor Attitudinal Research, Woolcott, Dec 2004
Social Capital and Blood Donation: The Australian
Case.
13
Donor objective
The ARCBS aims to create long-term social change.
Encourage community take personal responsibility for ensuring
we’re able to meet the needs of blood donations for the future.
Shift the responsibility from a few of us to all Australians.
This social change platform is designed to recruit the next
generation of Australians to become lifelong donors.
14
Donor communications objective
Our task is threefold;
1. To educate and inform them with the
information they need to become regular donors.

7. 2. Touch their hearts and inspire them to want
to become long term donors.
3. To influence them to donate as often as they
can for as long as they can.
15
Donor Profile
16
Marketing to an ethnic segment
Challenge:
ARCBS does not actively target ethnic population
85% of donors English first language*
Australian population changing
Need on-going support
Lack of systems at ARCBS to manage large increase (if non-
english speaking/reading)
Ad-hoc management with interpreters
Issues with translation due to privacy policy
Based on research undertaken and demographic question asked
on first language.
We do not take this info down at any other time for data
collection.
But international research has shown that donors from different
ethnic background have lower frequency.

8. 17
Marketing to an ethnic segment
What are we currently doing:
Ad hoc local marketing to ethnic groups
Provide limited translator services at big expense to ARCBS
18
40%
9%
31%
7%
8%
2%2%
1%
O+O-A+A-B+B-AB+AB-
Chart1 (2)O+O-A+A-B+B-AB+AB-
0.4
0.09
0.31
0.07
0.08
0.02
0.02
0.01
Chart1O+O-A+A-B+B-AB+AB-
0.4
0.09
0.31
0.07
0.08

9. 0.02
0.02
0.01
Sheet1O+O-A+A-B+B-AB+AB-40%9%31%7%8%2%2%1%
Sheet2
Sheet3
Donation Type
85%
13%
2%
Whole blood
Plasmapheresis
Plateletpheresis
Counseling Disposition Reflection Worksheet
Directions: Review the dispositions document and select three
dispositions that you currently meet and that have helped you to
be culturally competent. Complete the chart by listing the
dispositions met as well as a description of how the disposition
is met. Each description response should be 75-100 words in
length.
Dispositions Related to Cultural Competence
Description of how the disposition is met
Directions: Now that you have identified dispositions that you
currently meet, review the disposition document again and
select two dispositions related to cultural competence that may
be areas of improvement. Complete the chart below by adding
the two dispositions you do not meet as well as a preliminary
plan in regards to how you plan to improve the identified

10. dispositions. Each description response should be 75-100 words
in length.
Disposition
Description of how you plan to improve the disposition
© 2016. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.