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Blood safety general information
About the donation and use of blood and blood products in the NHS.
Review of documentation relating to the safety of blood products 1970 - 1985 (non-A, non-B hepatitis)
Published: 22/05/2007
In 2006 the Department commissioned a review of all the documents held between 1970-85 relating to blood safety. A copy of the 'Review of documentation relating to the safety of blood products 1970-85 (non-A, non-B hepatitis)' was issued on 22 May 2007, together with all the references. The review has been sent to various people, including Lord Archer, and to other interested parties
Guidance note on Blood Safety and Quality Regulation (No 50) 2005
Published: 17/08/2005
This guidance sets out the main requirements of new Blood Safety and Quality Regulations that come into force from 8 November 2005. The guidance draws attention to the implications of the new Regulations for hospitals involved in blood transfusions and highlights some specific aspects that need consideration in order to ensure compliance.
Assessing the implications for blood donors if recipients are infected with vCJD
Published: 20/07/2005
Existing analyses consider the risk of a recipient of blood or blood products being infected, if the donor were to be incubating the disease. The purpose of this note is to help the CJD (Creutzfeldt - Jacob Disease) Incidents Panel consider the 'reverse' situation, in which a recipient is found to have the disease, with the donor (or donors) so far remaining free of symptoms.
Emergency Planning: Development of an integrated plan for the management of blood shortages
Published: 22/07/2004
A new plan for the management of blood during shortages has been developed jointly by the Department of Health, the National Blood Service and the National Blood Transfusion Committee. The plan should help to ensure that, even in major shortages, there is enough blood available for emergencies and urgent operations
Details of hepatitis C ex-gratia payment scheme announced
Health Secretary John Reid today announced a scheme by which, people infected with hepatitis C from NHS blood or blood products will be eligible to receive ex-gratia payments from the Department of Health.
Better Blood Transfusions
HSC 2002/009 - Better blood transfusion: appropriate use of blood
Published: 04/07/2002
This Health Service Circular replaces HSC 1998/224, Better Blood Transfusion, and sets out a new programme of action for the NHS to: ensure that Better Blood Transfusion is an integral part of NHS care; as part of clinical governance responsibilities, make blood transfusion safer; avoid unnecessary use of blood in clinical practice; and provide better information to patients and the public about blood transfusion.
Blood Conservation Strategies
Published: 01/09/2004
Summary of Recommendations from the Working Parties on Autologous Transfusion and Alternatives to Transfusion of the Appropriate Use of Blood Sub-Group of the NBS Blood and Tissue Safety Assurance Group
A National Blood Conservation Strategy for NBTC and NBS
Report from the Working Party on Autologous Transfusion and the Working Party on Alternatives to Transfusion of the NBS Sub-Group on Appropriate Use of Blood
Blood transfusion comparative audit
13/12/01: National comparative audit in blood transfusion
Published: 13/12/2001
Letter announcing a new initiative for national comparative audit in blood transfusion, developed from discussions at the recent Chief Medical Officers' Better Blood Transfusion Seminar, with the support of the newly established Chief Medical Officer's National Transfusion Committee.
Survey
that informed preliminary discussion about the audit at the second Better Blood Transfusion conference.
Better Blood Transfusion conference
Second conference on improving NHS blood transfusion services, 29 October 2001.
Blood safety useful links
External websites about blood safety and supplies.
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