What do we do?

The Red Cell Immunohaematology Laboratory (RCI) located at the National Blood Centre provides a specialist red cell serology service for hospital transfusion laboratories in the Republic of Ireland.

The main areas of expertise are in pre-transfusion red cell serology and in red cell antibody quantitation in pregnancy. The RCI laboratory has an invaluable collection of rare red cells and reagents which can aid in red cell antibody investigation, thus ensuring safe provision of blood for these patients. Approximately 95% of samples referred to the laboratory are serologically complex in some way. The RCI laboratory also orchestrates the importation of rare blood into the country, when required for a specific patient.

Additionally the RCI Laboratory functions as the national referral laboratory for red cell antibody quantitation in pregnancy. This service aids in risk stratification of pregnancies at risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn by quantifying the levels of anti-D and anti-c.

If you have any queries or require any information from the RCI Laboratory (NBC Dublin) please contact 014322972. Should you wish to contact the Diagnostics Laboratory (Munster Regional Transfusion Centre) please contact 021 480740.

Laboratory Manuals & Information 

• RCI Laboratory Manual
• RCI Customer Manual is available for all service users of the Red Cell Immunohaematology Laboratory, National Blood Centre.
• IBTS RCI Laboratory ISO 15189 [2012] Accreditation Certificate, Registration No. 405MT 
• Request for Transfusion Reaction Investigation Form is used where the RCI laboratory acts as a Hospital Blood Bank.  
• Diagnostics Laboratory MRTC Customer Manual
• Request for Transfusion Reaction Investigation Form is used where the Diagnostics laboratory acts as a Hospital Blood Bank.