Guidelines and standards relating to blood

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards: Blood Management Standard

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) has developed the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards 2nd edition. One of these eight Standards focuses on Blood Management.

This Standard was developed to ensure safe, appropriate, efficient and effective care of patients’ own blood, as well as other blood and blood products. This includes:

  • Clinical Governance and quality improvement to support blood management
    Organisation-wide governance and quality improvement systems are used to ensure safe and high-quality care of patients own blood, and to ensure that blood product requirements are met.
  • Prescribing and clinical use of blood and blood products
    The clinical use of blood and blood products is appropriate, and strategies are used to reduce the risks associated with transfusion.
  • Managing the availability and safety of blood and blood products Strategies are used to effectively manage the availability and safety of blood and blood products

The SA Health Blood and Blood Products Accreditation Resource (PDF 1159KB) has been developed to support Health Service and provides examples of South Australian tools and resources that can be used to demonstrate an action and standard has been met.

The BloodSafe website also has a range of tools available to assist clinicians and other involved in the handling, prescribing and administration of blood and blood products.

National Clinical Practice Guidelines: Patient Blood Management Guidelines

The National Blood Authority has funded and managed the development of six modules as part of comprehensive, evidence-based, Patient Blood Management Guidelines:

  • Module 1 Critical Bleeding / Massive Transfusion
  • Module 2 Perioperative
  • Module 3 Medical
  • Module 4 Critical Care
  • Module 5 Obstetrics and Maternity
  • Module 6 Neonatal and Paediatrics

For more information on how the Department for Health and Wellbeing is supporting patient blood management in SA, please go to the Patient Blood Management (PBM) page.

SA Health Policies and Guidelines

CMV Seronegative Blood Components for Clinical Use - Clinical Guidance

The CMV Seronegative Blood Components for Clinical Use - Clinical Guidance (PDF 462KB) policy sets out the patient groups for whom transfusion with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegative blood components / products is clinically indicated and supported by evidence, where available. It also establishes criteria for holding of CMV seronegative blood components across SA Health based on the SA Health Clinical Services Capability Framework.

See the Guidance Summary (PDF 113KB) for a a one page summary of the policy.

Irradiated Blood Components for Clinical Use – Clinical Guidance

The Irradiated Blood Components for Clinical Use – Clinical Guidance (PDF 462KB) policy sets out the patient groups for whom transfusion with irradiated blood components is clinically indicated, based on the British Committee for Standards in Haematology Guidelines (2010) and supported by a ‘Special Blood Components' tool to assist implementation.

See the Irradiated Blood Components for Clinical Use Guidance Summary (PDF 113KB) for a one page summary of the policy.

Group RhD O negative red cell blood management

With ongoing pressure on group RhD O negative red cells due to the disparity between donor availability and demand, the National Blood Authority has put together some posters to encourage active management of these stocks.  They are available at their website, as follows: