Background
Transfusion Emergency Planning is one element of an integrated healthcare response to Major Incidents. The Emergency Planning Working Group is a working group re- established to produce on-going EP guidance to hospitals on behalf of the National Blood Transfusion Committee.
The NBTC Emergency Planning Working Group was originally set up as a short-lived group to review the lessons learned in relation to organisation of hospital transfusion services following the July 7th London Bombings in 2005. The focus was to meet the potential surge in demand for blood components and hospital transfusion support associated with a Mass Casualty Event (MCE)
However, the recent Mass Casualty Events across Europe and the United Kingdom, together with Major Incidents such as the wide scale disruption of computer services and adverse weather, necessitate a broadening of scope and a commitment to ongoing guidance.
Remit
The objective from this group is to provide hospitals with guidance for transfusion emergency preparedness and response to Major Incidents and Mass Casualty Events in consultation with a range of stakeholders.
Scope
The Working Group will cover the area served by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) i.e. England
Where required, the group will collaborate with similar initiatives in the rest of the United Kingdom and in other countries.
The scope is focussed on the provision of blood transfusion services across the continuum of care.
The remit of the group does not include details for the provision of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) antidotes. The guidance for this is provided directly from NHS England.
The scope does not include detailed Business Continuity planning.
Membership
The membership is multi-disciplinary and drawn from representatives from both the Acute Care sector and NHSBT. The clinicians are drawn primarily from Emergency Departments, Anaesthetics and Haematology from Major Trauma Centres and other interested NHS Trusts. Representatives from NHSBT includes colleagues from Customer Services and Business Continuity. The membership may change over time.
Current members are:
- H Doughty, Consultant in Transfusion Medicine, NHSBT (Chair)
- F Chowdhury, Consultant Haematologist, NHSBT & Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (Secretary)
- V Ameh, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, University of Manchester Medical School & The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary Wigan
- S Bassey, Consultant Transfusion Scientist, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (representing the NBTC Laboratory Managers Group)
- N Batrick, Emergency Department, Trauma Lead, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- L Baxter, Specialist Practitioner of Transfusion, Salford Royal Foundation Trust
- P Bolton–Maggs, Consultant Haematologist, Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) UK haemovigilance scheme
- T Cowdrey, Business Continuity, NHS Blood and Transplant
- S Glasgow, Trauma Research Fellow, The Centre for Trauma Sciences, Queen Mary University of London
- A Jackson, Transfusion Practitioner (representing BBTS)
- S Robinson, Consultant Haematologist, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
- M Smith, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Salford Royal Foundation Trust
- Y Sorour, Consultant Haematologist, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- J Staves, Transfusion Laboratory Manager, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- J Uprichard, Consultant Haematologist, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- A Weaver, Consultant in Emergency Medicine & Pre-hospital care, Clinical Director for Trauma, Barts Health NHS Trust
- C Wilkes, Customer services, NHS Blood and Transplant
Administrative support for the group will be provided by NHSBT.
Other key stakeholders
There are stakeholders whose engagement with the work of group will be valuable. These include:
- NBTC Laboratory Managers Working Group
- NHS Blood and Transplant
- NHS England: Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR)
Working arrangements
A small writing group will be established. The chair and the secretary will be appointed by the Chair of NBTC.
The Working Group will report and be accountable to the NBTC.
Teleconferences and meetings will be held as required to progress the approved work programme and activities.
Outcome measures
Revision of the recommendations for the organisation of transfusion support following Major Incidents and Mass Casualty Events
Development of a transfusion emergency preparedness toolkit for use by NHS Trusts, emergency services and other relevant parties.
To advise on the development of training and exercise requirements for transfusion emergency planning and response.