Health Protection - Blood Safety
Recent attention has focused on improving blood transfusion practice.
The major objectives include:
- To ensure that blood and blood products are used most appropriately, with blood only given for the health or survival of patients.
- To improve the safety of blood transfusion.
- To improve the safety of the blood products by minimising the risk of transmission of blood borne diseases.
The aim is to transfuse less blood, ensure vigilance in the operational
aspects of patient transfusion, and maximise the safety of the product transfused.
Guidance contained in the CREST publication, Better Use of Blood in
Northern Ireland can be accessed on http://www.crestni.org.uk/publications/blood_transfusion.pdf
A Health Service Circular (HSC 2002/009)
Better
Blood Transfusion, Appropriate use of Blood, was issued in July 2002 by the Department of Health, and
can be accessed on www.dh.gov.uk.
)
Better
Blood Transfusion, Appropriate use of Blood, was issued in July 2002 by the Department of Health, and
can be accessed on www.dh.gov.uk.