May 4, 2026
Standard 7: Blood Management
Northern Health’s Accreditation Survey is currently underway from 4 May – 8 May 2026.
Today, we speak with A/Prof Yin Lim, Head of Diagnostic Haematology, and Ms Sophie Goodchild, Transfusion Quality Officer, about Standard 7: Blood Management
What is this Standard about?
The Blood Management Standard aims to improve outcomes for patients by identifying risks and using strategies that optimise and conserve a patient’s own blood, as well as ensuring that any blood and blood products that patients receive are safe and appropriate. Blood is a precious resource. It is a product that is altruistically gifted by members of the community to support others in the community who need it most. Blood products must therefore be used appropriately and safely.
At Northern Health, this Standard looks like….
- Blood is a precious resource and must be used appropriately and safely
- Right blood to the right patient for the right reason
- Correct and MATCHING labelling of pre-transfusion samples and requests
- Consent – information brochure and written consent or refusal
- Blood Procedures in Prompt and EMR QRGs explain blood workflows
- Blood Forms in Prompt and EMR are used to document transfusion and any adverse reactions
- Compliant and safe blood storage
- Minimise and prevent wastage
- BloodSafe training for all clinical staff who collect blood samples and handle blood & blood products
The five key messages from Standard 7 are:
- Effectively optimising and conserving a patient’s own blood, reducing the unnecessary risk of exposure to blood products and associated adverse events
- Making clinical decisions ensuring all treatment options, and their risks and benefits, are considered before deciding to transfuse
- Correct sample, correct patient, correct product
- Storing and disposing of blood and blood products correctly
- Reporting and investigating any adverse reactions or incidents
What are the top 5 questions staff need to be able to answer about this Standard?
- Do you know the Governance Structure/Committee that oversees the safety and quality systems for Blood Management at Northern Health?
- What are the mandatory training requirements for staff involved in Blood Management, the frequency of training, and where can this training be accessed?
- How do we involve a patient in their care with regards to Blood Management?
- What is Patient Blood Management?
- What do you do when a patient experiences a reaction to a blood product?
Is there anything else you would like staff to know about this Standard?
The Zero Tolerance Program in Blood Management rejects a pre-transfusion sample and request that does not meet minimum labelling requirements. If the sample and request don’t match, the sample is rejected in an effort to prevent a wrong blood in tube (WBIT) that can cause significant preventable morbidity or mortality. This also requires clinical staff and the patient to have ANOTHER UNECESSARY venepuncture and delay in provision of crossmatched blood products!
REMEMBER:
- Patient’s 3-point ID must match with the specimen tube and request form.
- The collector’s identification and time/date of collection on the request must be identical to the sample label. Time of collection signed on sample and request must be within 5 minutes.