bloodlines - bbts issue no.108 may 2013 and cpdnews our online cpd tool has arrived pg18
TRANSCRIPT
BloodlinesIssue No.108 May 2013
and CPDnews
OUR ONLINE CPD TOOLHAS ARRIVED Pg18
Biotest UK Ltd28 Monkspath Business Park, Highlands Road,
Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 4NZ
Telephone: 0121-733-3393 Fax: 0121-733-3066
www.biotestuk.com e-mail: [email protected]
4 Society NewsEditorial
Council Meeting Report
Membership Renewal
Guide to submitting articles
9 Feature ReportsBBTS in Focus
Blood Transfusion Award
Princess of Wales Award
Transfusion Medicine Update
Tales from the South
Events to look out for
15 CPD NewsShot or Not?
Multiple Choice Questions
16 Feature ReportsHow to writeamazing Abstracts
BBTS online CPD Tool
Integrated Transfusion Services
Shaping the futureof Blood Transfusion
23 Trade News & Events
The deadline for copy to be submitted
for the next edition of the newsletter (109)
is Friday 21 June 2013.
con ten t s
I was thinking recently about how exciting
it was to work in blood transfusion when I
started my career at King’s College Hospital as
a Junior B Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer
(MLSO). In the late 70s, Dr (now Professor)
Charles Rodeck developed a technique for
pure fetal blood sampling using fetoscopy
and ultrasound, allowing prenatal diagnosis
of haemophilia.
In the early 80s Dr Rodeck went on to give
intravascular transfusions to fetuses suffering from
haemolytic disease of the newborn, and the UK’s
first Fetal Medicine Unit was born. This was before
the days of monoclonal antibodies. I used to stand
outside the treatment room with a glass slide,
an albumin anti-D reagent and a water bath.
Dr Rodeck would pass out a fetal blood sample to
me, and wait while I performed a rapid D type
before deciding whether or not to transfuse the
fetus! On one occasion, which I will never forget,
he allowed me the privilege of looking down the
fetoscope. It was thrilling to be involved in such a
new technique and to be so much a part of a new
treatment. For those of you who remember rapid D
typing whilst balancing a glass slide over the corner
of a water bath, you’ll also realize how scary it was!
At the same time, the liver unit at King’s was
undertaking some of the early liver transplants,
usually for Hepatitis B positive patients, many with
red cell antibodies, and they frequently required
100+ units of red cells, with no cell salvage
in sight! I also remember seeing the first cases
of haemolysis due to passenger lymphocyte
syndrome. The blood transfusion laboratory was
always a busy, exciting (frequently somewhat
chaotic) place to work, and I loved it.
Things have changed. With IT and new technologies
allowing automation and electronic issue, blood
group serology is much safer and easier. These
advances in technology, combined with cell
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P R E S I D E N T ’ S C O L UMN
We would like to thank all the advertisers in thisedition of Bloodlines. If you are interested inadvertising in future editions, please contact the BBTS Office: Enterprise House, Manchester SciencePark, Lloyd Street North, Manchester M15 6SE.Tel: 0161 232 7999 or email: [email protected]
Disclaimer - The Publisher, British Blood TransfusionSociety, cannot be held responsible for errors or anyconsequences arising from the use of informationcontained in this journal. The views and opinionsexpressed do not necessarily reflect those of thePublisher or the Editor, neither does the publicationof advertisements constitute an endorsement of theproducts advertised.
Clare Milkins - BBTS President
salvage, better surgical techniques and
pharmaceutical developments to prevent and stop
bleeding, have made the blood transfusion
laboratory a much calmer place to work in than
it was in the 80s. But there is always something
new to get excited about and involved in: organ,
tissue and stem transplantation, growing red cells
and platelets, gene and cellular therapies, and the
potential to replace antibody screening and
crossmatching with the advent of molecular
genotyping and recombinant technology.
Even if you work in a more routine environment,
having the appropriate knowledge and competence
to supply timely and safe blood components makes
you an essential part of every transfusion episode.
Transfusion practitioners have bridged the gap
between the ward and the laboratory, whether
nurse or BMS trained. Hospital laboratory
managers are very much a part of the hospital
transfusion team, and it’s no longer quite so much
‘them and us’ at every turn. Being involved and
part of the team is what makes the work much
more than just a job.
One of the strengths of the BBTS is that it brings
together the different professions involved in blood
transfusion, including clinicians as well as the
traditional blood service and hospital laboratory
based professionals. The BBTS Annual Conference
provides the opportunity to hear about some of
the amazing research, treatments and technology
that you might otherwise not know about.
It also provides the opportunity to meet other
professionals and share your experiences. A great
way to do this is by submitting an abstract of
your work – it’s not too late!
At this year’s meeting we are presenting the
Mollison Award for the first time. I’m delighted to
announce that the first recipient is Sandra Gray,
Head of Nursing at SNBTS, a BBTS member who
has made an outstanding contribution to clinical
practice. We look forward to hearing Sandra’s
citation at the Gala Dinner.
On a different note, I’d like to welcome Marie
Maguire to the team as the recently appointed
Marketing and Communications Officer. I’m sure
you’ll join me in wishing Marie every success
in this role.
Finally, I can’t resist a comment about the weather,
so I hope that by the time you read this, the
temperature has eventually made it into positive
figures and we can put away the snow shovels
until next winter!
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
My previous editorial (Bloodlines 107)started by wishing Louise Warburton BBTS’s Marketing and CommunicationsOfficer farewell and so it gives me greatpleasure to welcome Marie Maguire as the newly appointed BBTS Marketing andCommunication Officer. Marie has enteredher new role with great enthusiasm and I’m sure that this, her first Bloodlines, will be an excellent edition.
We continue our ‘BBTS in focus’ feature withprofiles of members of the Scientific MeetingsAdministration Committee (SMAC). Membersof this hardworking group are pivotal to the
Editorial by Jennifer Duguid
success of our annual conferences. No soonerhave they finished the work on one conferencethan they find the next one looms large and theirwork never stops. Having seen their pictures andread their profiles in this edition I hope thatif you recognise any of them at our 2013conference in Birmingham, you stop to saythank you for all their hard work. The purposeof ‘BBTS in focus’ is not only to allow youto know and recognise those BBTS memberswho run your society and its activities but alsoto encourage you to think of involving yourselfin the work of these committees by standingfor election or volunteering to serve on thesevital committees.
We also continue our series on OffshoreTransfusion with details of running a blood bankon the Isle of Wight. We hope that this series,which in later editions will include articles fromJersey and the Scottish Islands, will make thoseof you who feel remote from your local bloodcentre realise that those working offshore havegreater problems.
We’ve taken a break from our plasma series thisissue to bring you an article writeup on the
S O C I E T Y N EW S
Jennifer Duguid
Integrated Transfusion Service written by RichardGray on p21. Don’t worry, the plasma series will be back next issue with a thought-provoking article on collection, productionand manufacture of this vital, often misused,blood product. As usual we include CPD newsand some information about the launch of thenew online CPD tool.
Bloodlines is not produced as a majoreducational publication but the questions andanswers included in CPD news are very popularto a wide range of BBTS members and, asalways, we welcome contributions from all ofyou to help expand this section.
Members of the Communications Committeework hard to ensure Bloodlines is both readableand relevant. Our aim with each edition is toinclude educational, informational and thought-provoking articles in the hope that we include‘something for everyone’. Contributions andsuggestions from BBTS members and otherreaders are always welcome so feel free to sendthem in, following our guidelines printed on page7 of this edition, or contact Marie Maguire [email protected]
5
S O C I E T Y N EW S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
The first Council meeting of 2013 was held
on the 7th March in Birmingham. The action
and decision log was reviewed and the
following were noted:
• Council ratified the removal of the word
newsletter from the front page of Bloodlines
• The professional nursing committee is
being re-formed and they will be developing
a workplan for the coming year
The editor of Transfusion Medicine, Professor
David Roberts, updated the Council on his work
as editor. He explained his vision was to:
• Make Transfusion Medicine an enjoyable
and valued journal for BBTS members
• Improve the ranking and scientific
standing of Transfusion Medicine in its field
• Become the leading journal in its field
in Europe and contributing to advancing
Transfusion Science and Practice
internationally
From the survey conducted in 2011 it was clear
members wanted:
• Improved readability for UK members
• To maintain high scientific standards
• To encourage submissions from:
• Guidelines
• Areas that impact on clinical and
laboratory practice
• Developing areas/technologies
The design has been changed and well received.
Citation Index
The citation index has dropped in 2011 and
this is subject to fluctuations and is affected by
the quality and number of review articles.
Council Meeting Report by Joan Jones
Secretary’s report
Succession planning is ongoing for various
roles within committees in particular the new
Chair of SMAC, Dr Kate Pendry, who will be
replacing Dr Jane Keidan in October 2013.
Jane has done a wonderful job in enthusing
SMAC and developing exciting programmes for
the Annual Conference. As some of you may be
removed the Shop button and replaced this with
the tab to access the new online CPD tool.
The new online CPD tool is now live and includes
tutorial videos. A soft launch was done via
Bloodspots and this will be stepped up using
Bloodlines, Dotmailer, mail shots, events and
the website itself.
Joan Jones - Honorary Secretary
Publications
In February we distributed the 107th edition of
the BBTS newsletter, Bloodlines. The new
Transfusion Medicine contract has been signed
with Wiley Blackwell and work is underway with
the editor’s plans for affiliations and a possible
new online only business model is being looked
at by Wiley’s.
Marketing
We are in the process of obtaining marketing
lists for contacts outside those already
known to us. Once the new Marketing &
Communications Officer has settled in post the
area of marketing will be high on her agenda.
Reports were received from both the
Communications and PAEC committees.
Brief highlights from the communications
committee were:
Website
1. Trying to update information from SIG groups
looking into why past lectures seem to vanish
once the event is over
2. Launching a blog section
aware, our Communications & Marketing Officer
Louise Warburton left us in February but we are
pleased to welcome Marie Maguire who started
at the beginning of March.
Finance report
The Executive Manager reported that the end of
year forecast remains on course to reach the
Society’s financial and profit goals. Council
reviewed and agreed the budget plans for
2013/14.
Thanks were expressed to the BBTS office and
the Hon. Treasurer for the hard work in providing
such detailed plans.
Executive Manager’s report
Website
The office has started a housekeeping exercise
for the website, including replacing old pictures
and expired dates, new banners and internal
site links. This is an on-going process and
will be stepped up with the new Marketing
& Communications Officer in post. We have
This graph shows the increase in submissions to Transfusion Medicine
Membership Renewal
6
S O C I E T Y N EW S
Highlights from PAEC:
A task and finish group will be set up with
specific outputs namely:
1. To develop and outline strategic
recommendations for the provision of
comprehensive educational support for staff
who deliver blood transfusion services, whilst
ensuring alignment with the principles of
Modernising Scientific Careers.
2. Priority objective, to produce a paper for
BBTS Council that considers:
a. The proposed BBTS vision for the career
pathways of scientists working in hospital
blood transfusion laboratories and blood
establishments
b. How the BBTS Specialist Certificate in
Transfusion Science Practice could be re-
engineered to ensure continuing fitness for
purpose and value-add for employers,
BBTS members and other laboratory staff
who deliver blood transfusion services (also
bearing in mind changing training & career
pathways and future fit with Medical, Nursing
and Cell & Tissue disciplines)
c. The benefits arising from accreditation
of the Specialist Certificate by a partner
University(s)
d. What resource would be required to
undertake this work in terms of personnel
and operating costs
e. What arrangements would need to be put
in place to ensure the Business Model was
sustainable going forward
f. The outline plan to take forward this work
including key milestones.
Reports were also received from members who
represent the BBTS on:
• UK Transfusion Laboratory collaborative –
Julie Staves
• NBTS Patient Blood Management –
Lynne Mannion
• NICE stakeholder workshop for
development of a transfusion guideline –
Joan Jones
• Scottish Clinical Transfusion Advisory
Group – Marie McQuade
The next Council meeting will be held in
Birmingham on 18th June 2013.
BBTS Membership Renewal Due NowBBTS Membership subscription runs from 1st April – 31st March.
If you’ve not yet renewed don’t worry, you can still make a payment by cheque or card.
Fees for April 2013 - March 2014 are as follows:
Membership Type Full Price
Full (UK & Ireland) £79.50
Concessionary* £45.00
Overseas £90.00
Senior £22.00
UK Late joining+ £44.00
Overseas Late Joining+ £50.00
*Concessionary membership is open to those at, or equivalent to AFC Band 5 or below.
A signed certificate of eligibility MUST be submitted annually with payment.+Members joining after October 1st 2013
For more information or to make a payment please visit www.bbts.org.uk/membership
or email [email protected] with any queries.
www.bbts.org.uk
SHOT SYMPOSIUMROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE
1 Wimpole St, London, W1G 0AE – 10th July 2013www.shotuk.org/annual-shot-symposium
Bloodlines: Your Guide To Submitting Articles
Word CountBloodlines has a magazine style format,
therefore articles should be around 500 words
and no more than 1000. Keep the content
clear, concise and engaging. Don’t use 10
words when 5 will do.
AcronymsAlthough a certain acronym may be used
regularly by you and your colleagues, other
members may not be familiar with it.
Please ensure you write out the full title
accompanied by the acronym in brackets the
first time you use it in the article.
EditingAll articles are subject to editorial approval.
The editor reserves the right to not publish
articles and to edit articles without obtaining
permission from the author. If you wish to
review edited copy you must indicate this when
you submit your article.
DeadlinesThe deadline for the next issue of Bloodlines
is printed on page 3. Please submit your
article as early as possible to allow time
for editing.
SubmittingArticles should be submitted as a Word file
(.doc or .docx). Any images included in the
article (photos / charts etc.) should be
submitted as separate, appropriately named
.jpeg files. Embedded images will not be used
and footnotes will not be published.
Bloodlines welcomes articles relating to
Blood Transfusion from both members
and non-members of the British Blood
Transfusion Society (BBTS). Tell us what
you’re up to, what you’ve been working on,
what events you’ve attended. If you have
something interesting to write we want
to hear about it.
Here are a number of factors you should
consider when submitting an article:
ContentWould this article be interesting to other
Bloodlines readers? Is it about a new
advancement, an issue you feel needs raising,
a recent event you attended that was useful?
We review all submissions and will feedback if
we feel an article is unsuitable.
7
S O C I E T Y N EW S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
If you would like more information, have an idea you would like to discussor already have an article to publish,
please email [email protected] or call 0161 232 7999.
BBTS in Focus: SMAC
SMAC
SMAC is BBTS’s ‘Scientific Meeting Advisory Committee’. The members of the
SMAC panel are recognised for their expertise in delivering an innovative scientific
programme to stimulate shared learning to a multicultural audience within all
disciplines involved in transfusion.
SMAC strive to produce an inclusive programme that appeals to all transfusion
professionals. If you have any ideas you feel may be of benefit to the committee,
please contact [email protected].
More about the members . . .
Jane Keidan
Three things you couldn’t live without
My family, cats, theatre.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Heights!
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Too many to name.
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I’d love to have been a professional actress but failed to get into the national youth theatre at 17,
so have stuck to am dram since then.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Hard working, passionate (about the NHS!), a bit of a terrier.
Karen Madgwick
Three things you couldn’t live without
My boys, all three of them.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Informing someone that I have been unable to complete a promised task.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Willmore Wilderness Park, Alberta, Canada (google images for why!).
Stumbling across a wild bear was scary but made a pretty good holiday story!
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
If I had got the required grades at school, I would have become a social worker. Thirty years on I am lucky
enough to have a role which gives me the opportunity to help patients with their social and health needs.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Work colleagues suggested ‘Gets it done’ and family ‘Egalitarian, Reliable, Caring’ . . .
A big thank you to all as this was much better than I had anticipated!
Catherine Howell
Three things you couldn’t live without
My adorable chocolate Labrador Mabel, my Friday evening visit to the
local public house and Facebook
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
My husband said it was cleaning.....but that’s why I have a cleaner!
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Anywhere with lots of sun!
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I know it’s sad but as a child I never wanted to be anything other than a nurse - I still feel that way now
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Firm, Focused and Fun!
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F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
Professional Affairsand Education
Committee (PAEC)
Communications
Committee
Special Interest
Groups (SIGs)
BBTSCouncil
www.bbts.org.uk
Scientific MeetingsAdministration
Committee(SMAC)
Fiona Regan
Three things you couldn’t live without
Chocolate, birds/animals around, a map/sat-nav
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Russell Brand
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Australia (Outback or Coral Reefs)
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I’d be a Vet – I love animals. I’d find some of it distressing but a lot of it really good -
but allergic to a few animals (cats & horses)
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Definitely not passive
Geoff Daniels
Three things you couldn’t live without
Red wine, coffee, Bristol Rugby
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Southmead Road, Bristol at rush hour
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Great Gable in the Lake District / New Zealand
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
A Farmer - I like being outdoors and I like driving tractors
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Depends who you ask. Consensus: tall, bald, affable
Stephen Thomas
Three things you couldn’t live without
My family, exercise, coffee
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Answering profile questions…
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Anywhere in Italy
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
Professional cricketer (the older I get, the better I was)
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Smart, smartarse, arse
Kate Pendry
Three things you couldn’t live without
My bicycle, my IPad and a good night's sleep.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Being on a tandem with my husband.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
The hills and beaches of Languedoc, South of France.
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
A successful artist in the South of France. I would love to be able to follow in the footsteps of Cezanne
and capture the light on the landscape in oils.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Cool, calm and collected.
Clare Milkins
Three things you couldn’t live without
Wine, contact lenses, salt
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Morris dancing
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Seychelles
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I’d be a novelist - I really admire how good writers use their imagination, creativity and writing skills
to create a story that I can totally lose myself in. I would love to have the ability to do this just for fun,
let alone for a living!
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Unobservant, untidy, unforgettable!
Joan Jones
Three things you couldn’t live without
IPhone, Coffee, A shower (having just had the bathroom re done!).
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Cleaning the fishpond again.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Pembrokeshire.
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
Garden designer as long as I had someone to do the hard work and I just went around the nurseries
buying plants.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Friends and colleagues – approachable, firm and fair
Son or husband – nagging, bossy and bolshy.
Juraj Petrik
Three things you couldn’t live without
Travelling, reading and a good drink.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Shopping.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Living in Scotland it has to be a warm and sunny destination, the Mediterranean is usually a good bet.
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I quite like working with wood when I have time. Not sure I could make a living, though.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
I thought my female colleagues would suggest something like handsome, attractive, but they said
approachable, considerate, knowledgeable instead. Still very flattering!
Jane Murphy
Three things you couldn’t live without
Red wine, music and friends.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Public Speaking.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Somewhere hot and Sunny.
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
Dance teacher - my hobby and a job all rolled into one!
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Outgoing, Reliable, organised.
Martin Bruce
Three things you couldn’t live without
The unstinting support of my wife and family, my red pen (which I use to provide comment
and correction on all manner of documents) and lastly there is my retirement gift from
my friends and colleagues - my I-Pad.
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
I have always felt it was important to tackle even the most menial of tasks but guess throwing things away
is a bit of a challenge for a hoarder like me.
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Aside from Scotland, my favourite country is Australia – the vista at Sydney Harbour is simply
breath taking!
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I’d love to be a top chef, most scientists enjoy following and creating recipes (sadly I have produced
an SOP for cooking Christmas Dinner (as they say, you can take the man out of Quality but…)
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
According to the comments on my retirement cards committed, professional and inspirational
feature regularly – wow!
9
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Julie Staves
Three things you couldn’t live without
My car, my computer and real ale!
One thing you’d do anything to avoid
Shopping
Your favourite place / holiday destination
Northumbria - lovely views and few people
If you could do any other job what would it be and why?
I'd run a craft shop. I've an artistic side and would love to spend time teaching others
and explaining how products work.
How would those who know you best describe you in three words?
Opinionated, artistic and an early riser!
In the next edition of Bloodlines . . . BBTS In Focus: PAEC
1 0
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
Blood Transfusion Award for University Professor
system. This in turn led to the development of the prenatal definition of
blood groups: his laboratory at the National Blood Service was the first
in the world to launch a routine, non-invasive test to sample for blood
types in the womb.
He led several large European Community consortia to develop a DNA
chip to find over 100 blood group and platelet alleles (alternative
forms of genes). The chip is now in extensive use worldwide to
help manage difficult-to-transfuse patients (such as children with
sickle cell disease).
Professor Avent also led a £12 million EC Network
of Excellence that oversaw the routine use of
non-invasive prenatal diagnostics.
He said: “It’s a great honour to be bestowed this award from the BBTS.
Many of my most respected mentors have gained this award in the
past, and I’m delighted to join their ranks. My thanks extend to my
colleagues on BBTS council for their recommendations.”
A professor from the School of
Biomedical and Biological Sciences
at Plymouth University has been
awarded the prestigious Kenneth
Goldsmith Award 2013 by the British
Blood Transfusion Society.
Professor Neil Avent has been recognised
for his “outstanding contribution to
molecular blood grouping and non-invasive prenatal
diagnostics”. The award is given for original research
within the field of blood transfusion together with
contributions to blood transfusion in general, either in
medical or scientific fields. In order to win the award the recipient’s work
must have made a substantial contribution to the understanding and
practice of blood transfusion. It has been awarded since 1984.
Professor Avent was among the first to isolate, sequence and clone the
gene for the human Rh antigen, which is central to the Rh blood group
It’s a great honour to be bestowed this award
from the BBTS.“ “
Princess of Wales Award – 6 Months on
Crossmatching. I am making the necessary effort to enrol in proficiency
for Transfusion Transmitted Infection (TTI) as soon as possible.
Again SANBS will be providing the centre with Screening Sensitized and
Identification cells next month. The centre will then prepare samples
for its internal quality assessment in immunohaematology.
Another area of great importance and which was well carried out at
WBS was equipment maintenance and calibration schedule. My next
project, as inspired by WBS, will be to have a comprehensive asset
register to enable the centre to develop an equipment maintenance
plan. It’s my hope that by the end of 2013 the Centre will have a good
calibration and maintenance system.
The training at WBS has played an important part in my work as a quality
manager. All this notwithstanding I have a cordial relationship with all
staff I worked with at WBS and all are willing to provide me with
information whenever I need help.
I am most grateful to BBTS, the Welsh Blood Service and National
Blood Service Ghana for the Award.
Mavis Okyere
BBTS Princess of Wales Award Winner 2013
www.bbts.org.uk/bursaries/bursaries
Back in September 2012 I received the
BBTS Princess of Wales Award. I was
given the opportunity to train with
the Welsh Blood Service (WBS) and the
experience has helped significantly
on my return to the National Blood
Service (NBS) in Ghana. Their
systematic approach and efficient work
processes have proved invaluable.
I was appointed as the Quality Manager for NBS Ghana in November
2012. On acceptance of the position I realised that the scope of work
for the role is very broad, and it was impossible to cover it all by
myself. Using the insight picked up at WBS, I decided to make good
use of the available human resource. Quality Officers for the various
units, namely donor recruitment, donor care, laboratory and support
service were identified.
Our task is to ensure all activities are carried out in a quality assured
manner. The first item on our agenda was to ensure the Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) were reviewed and updated.
The Accra Area Blood Centre is now enrolled with the South Africa
National Blood Service (SANBS) Proficiency Programme in Grouping and
www.bbts.org.uk
1 1
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Transfusion Medicine Update
The wider readership is difficult to gauge but the download of articles are
over 60,000 per year or 200 per day and a full quarter of these come
from the USA, another quarter from Europe, with only 2% from the UK
(Figure 1), where I assume many people have a paper copy, and the rest
widely distributed. It is quite clear that Transfusion Medicine is read
widely around the world. If you submit and publish in Transfusion Medicine
you can be assured of a wide readership!
One measurement that has not progressed has been the impact factor
which has declined from an impact factor of just over two in 2001 to just
over one in 2011. This impact factor measures the number of times
articles published in 2009 and 2010 were cited in 2011 and therefore is
a retrospective measure of the quotation of the journal by other articles.
It is a bit like looking at your progress on a journey through the rear view
mirror. It is likely it will stay at this level for the next year and after that
I very much hope will improve as the impact of the new changes
will become apparent in citation of articles published since 2011.
In any event, this impact factor is not very different from the historical
average. We have an increase in submissions this year which suggests
the changes we have made to readability are having a positive impact on
people’s perception of the journal.
What do you think of the journal? We will survey everyone at this time
next year but very much hope that the changes have encouraged people
to open and read the articles. We have plans to have a series of exciting
reviews this year covering updates on variant Creutzfeld Jacob disease
and other topics in transfusion transmitted infection, gastrointestinal
Haemorrhage, cytomegalo virus, comment on the platelet trigger trials
and near patient testing.
The journal cannot be a success without your input and help and I
would welcome submissions and also comments at any time, and
specifically suggestions for reviews and editorials. Please let me have
any suggestions directly ([email protected]) I hope everyone
will have a chance to comment more formally on the changes next year.
I look forward to hearing from many of you!
Professor Dave Roberts, NHSBT Oxford
When I was appointed as Editor in Chief
of Transfusion Medicine nearly two
years ago the first task was to make
the journal enjoyable and a valued read
for BBTS members. Both BBTS Council
and the Editorial Team also wanted to
improve the ranking and scientific
standing of Transfusion Medicine in
its field but this would only follow
if the readability and visibility of the journal was improved.
In order to address the needs of readers we undertook a survey of themembership to understand what was appreciated and wanted from thejournal. Following this, we planned to encourage submissions onguidelines, areas that impact on clinical or laboratory practice and newareas of work. We also intended to use short communications orLetters to the Editor for worthy but less original work that would be ofinterest and so maintain high scientific standards for articles.With considerable help from the team at Wiley Blackwell, we undertooka facelift of the journal resulting in a new cover layout and typeface.
We have attempted to improve the readability of the journal by greatly
increasing the number of editorials and over the last 18 months have had
12 editorials covering not just the launch and news of changes in the
journal but also gene therapy, the new pre-transfusion compatibility
guidelines, the use of fibrinogen, the use of blood following the London
bombing, storage and processing of cells, anti-D prophylaxis and
hyperhaemolysis. An editorial or comment on SHOT looks like becoming
a regular fixture. In addition to the pre-transfusion compatibility
guidelines we have also had a second set of BCSH guidelines on
validation and change of control for laboratories. Additionally, there have
been a series of reviews on the history of transfusion practice, a re-print
of Ian Franklin’s BBTS talk on a new philosophy for blood transfusion
safety and a series of reviews related to haemorrhage and transfusion
practice including recombinant Factor VIIA, cryoprecipitate and the
use of blood products in trauma. This has resulted in 15 reviews and
9 editorials over the last 9 issues.
The overall scientific quality has been improved by use of the plagiarism
detection software iThenticate and we have set a threshold of similarity
which must not be exceeded for the article to undergo review.
These changes have led to a subtle but significant change in emphasis
to an increased proportion of submissions from the UK which now reach
just over a third of all published articles with stable levels of submissions
from Europe, the Middle East and Northern Hemisphere and a slight
reduction but still a varied and significant representation of articles
from further afield.
The circulation of Transfusion Medicine remains very high with over 98%
of institutions worldwide renewing the subscription which is above average
for the Wiley Blackwell journals. The subscriptions come from all over
the world with a third in Europe, only 4% in the UK and 14% in the USA.
Downloads from Transfusion Medicine by RegionOver 60,000 articles are downloaded from Transfusion Medicine
each year from all over the world
Fig.1
Offshore Transfusion: Tales from the South
Once home to Tennyson, Keats & Alfred Noyes not only is the
Isle of Wight England’s largest island but, at 25 miles east to west
and 12 miles north to south, it is also the smallest English county
(during high tide). Lying 5 miles off the south coast of Hampshire,
the 140,000 permanent residents rely on a car ferry service to
transport people and goods to and from the island via ports at
Yarmouth, Cowes and Ryde.
Enjoying a milder sub-climate than most of the rest of the UK, the island
is a popular holiday destination. During the high season the population
can explode to some 2 million people. The island hosts 2 major
music festivals, IW Pop Festival in June and Bestival in September.
Together with high profile events such as Cowes Week, where high
volumes of people are in very small areas, the possibility of
accident, trauma and conditions which would normally be dealt with
by a GP all increase.
Due to its milder climate it is also a popular retirement area. The 2010
island census shows a steady increase in residents over 65 from 24%
of the population at present to a predicted 33% in 20 years time.
This increase of older residents brings with it an increase in respiratory,
circulatory and other age related diseases all adding to our use of
blood components.
The island is served by St Mary’s, its 477 bed District General Hospital.
St Mary’s is central to the island in Newport and covers all major
specialities. Patients requiring more specialised treatments however, are
normally transferred to the mainland. We are also a Trauma Centre and
have recently built a helipad on site. Previously patients requiring air
transport to the mainland had to endure a 2 mile trip via ambulance to
the nearest helicopter landing site. Our busy Emergency Department
has over 100 ’Blue Light’ patients per day.
As a hospital we are a medium user of blood components. We use
approximately 4500 units of Red Cells, 250 units of Platelets and 400
FFP/ Cryo products per annum. St Mary’s receives up to 2 routine
deliveries per day (Mon to Fri) or at weekends with ad hoc deliveries out
of hours as required. We have introduced ’Trauma Packs’ to provide blood
components to Major Haemorrhage patients quickly and as part of this
we keep one unit of ‘A Neg’ Platelets in stock at all times.
However . . . being on an island and reliant on sea transport does have
its draw backs. Storms and fog can cut the island off from the mainland
for hours or even days at a time. Even in normal conditions, whilst there
is a reasonable ferry service during the day, at night it’s a different
picture with up to 4 hours to wait from one ferry to the next. This means
that we have to have a robust blood stock management protocol to ensure
that blood stocks are adequate and forward planning is a must especially
when major events are underway to encompass changed ferry timetables
and road closures.
And finally . . . Queen Victoria’s Physician, Dr James Clark, confirmed
that “the several peculiarities of the islands’ climate render it a highly
desirable residence for invalids throughout the year . . . And if that
failed then Mr Greenham of Shanklin offered a nice line in invalid whisky
at 3/6d a bottle!”
Andy Thompson, Transfusion Nurse Practitioner
1 2
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
Come to the Isle of Wight . . .. . . “Where, far from noise and smoke of town I watch the twilight falling brown,all round a careless-ordered garden, Close to the ridge of a noble down.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson
www.bbts.org.uk
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
1 3@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
We need you to make a differenceIf you or someone you know want to make
a difference and influence the future of the
society get in touch.
What we offer in return:
• The chance to contribute to the
learning and development of
transfusion professionals across Britain.
• The opportunity to develop strategy and
governance skills as part of CPD.
• Amazing networking opportunities for
you to connect and learn from peers
within Transfusion Medicine.
For more information please visit
www.bbts.org.uk/about_us
Calling all Transfusion ProfessionalsNominations are open for BBTS Council Members
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
Events to look out for . . .
BBTS Hospital Transfusion Special Interest
Group & Transfusion Practitioners Group Spring Meetings
14th & 15th May 2013 – Crowne Plaza Hotel, Birmingham
Accredited by IBMS and RCPath, these two day meetings
will help you gain practical information, give you an opportunity to meet
and discuss latest developments with your peers and learn
how new initiatives are being implemented. You can also pick up
credits to add to your CPD portfolio.
23rd Regional Congress of the
International Society of Blood Transfusion
2nd – 5th June 2013 – Amsterdam
With an exciting scientific and social programme,
the ISBT aim to provide a combination of science, education,
and the chance to develop contacts.
Sessions include: Donor Health and (Product) Safety,
Clinical Transfusion Science and Transfusion Technology and Quality.
Scotblood Annual Conference 2013
6th – 7th June 2013 – University of Stirling
Scotblood 2013 has an excellent programme of national
and international speakers who will be discussing the current issues
and future developments affecting the fields of transfusion
medicine, cellular therapy, and transplantation.
International Meeting on Cell Free DNA
20th – 21st June 2013
Covering the clinical, biological, and technical aspects
of cell-free DNA, with special emphasis on fetal genotyping and routine
fetal RhD genotyping in D negative women.
International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
29th June – 4th July 2013
Join thousands of clinicians and scientists to hear the newest
developments in understanding thrombotic and haemorrhagic disease,
and the latest results from treatment trials, presented
in late-breaking hot sessions. More than 100 international experts will
give state-of-the-art overviews, and the top 600 from 3,000
abstracts have been selected for oral presentation
Annual SHOT Symposium
10th July 2013 - London
For more information on upcoming events visit our website:
www.bbts.org.uk/events
1 4 www.bbts.org.uk
CPDnewsIssue No. 44 May 2013
Continuing Professional Development
As the standard ‘rushing around’ that constitutes the end of March draws to a close, I have hopefully met
the copy deadline for this issue of CPD news, which explains why this editorial is rather brief!
Included in this issue are the latest in Tony Davies’ series of SHOT or NOT scenarios and some multiple
choice questions covering a range of topics supplied by Samantha Harle-Stephens. If any members have topics that they
would like to see covered by CPD news, or have items suitable for CPD news that they could supply, please contact
Suggestions and suitable CPD material are greatly appreciated.
John Eggington
CPD News – Issue 44
SHOT or not?A unit of blood for Patient A was collected from the issue fridge by a staffnurse but was taken to the bedside of Patient B. There were no formalidentity checks performed, the bag had the giving set inserted andconnected to the patient, but a second staff nurse noticed the error
before any blood was actually transfused to the patient.
Who is this reportable to – SHOT, MHRA, or both?
What should it be reported as?
Multiple Choice Questions
1). Constituents of the RBC membrane are:
a). 50% protein
b). a phospholipid bilayer
c). Only extrinsic proteins
d). Cell adhesion molecules
e). Cholesterol
2). Factors associated with the primary immunisation process are:
a). Predominantly IgG
b). Predominantly IgM
c). Lag period
d). T-cell dependent antigens
e). A switch to other types of Ig
3). What from the following is true about complement?
a). It is made of nine main components
b). C1 molecule is composed of 2 subunits
c). C1q is activated by binding to 2 Fc portions of IgG
d). C3b has a long half-life
e). Complement can be inactivated by heat and calcium
binding anticoagulants
4). The UK frequency of blood group AB in the UK is:
a). 2%
b). 3%
c). 4%
d). 1%
e). 5%
5). What genotype represents R1R2?
a). cDE/cdE
b). CDe/cde
c). cDE/cde
d). CDe/cDE
e). CDe/Cde
6). Which of the following should be given Rh Negative blood?
a). DVI
b). Weak D
c). DVII
d). Ror
e). DVa
2
C O N T I N U I N G P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T
www.bbts.org.uk
C O N T I N U I N G P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T
Answers (CPD issue 43)
SHOT or not? Answer
A patient attended the antenatal clinic for the first time in her currentpregnancy at 36 weeks of gestation. Samples were taken and it wasnoted that she was RhD negative, and should have received anti-Dimmunoglobulin routinely at 28 weeks. Midwives were unable tocontact the woman to return for anti-D prior to delivery. It was laternoted that there was a grouping report in her notes from a previouspregnancy indicating that she was RhD negative with no antibodies.
Who is this reportable to – SHOT, MHRA, or both ?
Not reportable to MHRA, as they do not take reports ofadministration errors relating to anti-D.Not reportable to SHOT, as it was the woman’s ‘choice’ toattend late, and to not respond to requests to return for heranti-D Ig. It is unsafe to use a report from a previouspregnancy in order to issue anti-D Ig – the group may havebeen wrongly filed/transcribed and the woman may have sincedeveloped immune anti-D.
3@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
7). Which of the following is true about Rhnull phenotype?
a). Phenotype result is C-c-E-e-D-
b). RBC’s have reduced survival
c). It is quite common
d). It produces a severe anaemia
e). It results from only one genetic background
8). Causes of false negative results in an IAT include:
a). Contaminated AHG
b). Presence of fibrin clots
c). Inadequate washing of the RBC’s
d). Over centrifugation
e). Presence of dust in the tubes
9). In Antibody screening homozygous expression is
recommended for the following antigens:
a). Jka
b). D
c). M
d). S
e). Fya
10). What following facts are true of the Lewis blood
group system?
a). They are adsorbed onto the RBC membrane
b). Cord blood is Le-Leb-
c). Their antibodies are usually IgM
d). They are not clinically significant
e). They often cause transfusion reactions
11). The Kell blood group system has 2 antithetical antigens,
K and k.
Which phenotype is the most common and at what
approximate UK frequency?
a). K+k-
b). K+k+
c). K-k+
d). 81%
e). 91%
12). Which of the following are minor blood group systems
a). Diego
b). Colton
c). Vel
d). Js(a)
e). Wr(a)
13). What are the most common antibodies giving rise to HDN?
a). D
b). K
c). E
d). c
e). C
14). Enzymes will:
a). Reduce the overall negative charge around red cells
b). Give Rh antigens more exposure
c). Destroy Kidd antigens
d). Remove some antigens from the red cell
e). Work better at room temperature
J U N I O R B U R S A R I E S
4
EDUCATIONEDUCATIONEDUCATION
THE BBTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE has been widely recognisedas a meeting of exceptional scientific and educational quality . . . 85% of our
delegates in 2012 rated the conference as ‘excellent or good’,with 76% stating the scientific programme determined their attendance
•The British Blood Transfusion Society has a limited number of complimentary Junior Bursary
places available for the 31st Annual Conference, ICC Birmingham, October 16th - 18th 2013
•We have a limited number of FREE Bursary places available which include complimentary
registration, accommodation and £100 towards travel
•Do you have staff under Band Grade 5? Junior healthcare and laboratory staff, newly
appointed transfusion practitioners, junior nursing and training medical grades who would like tobenefit from our exciting, refreshing new programme? Maybe you have a PhD
student or newly qualified staff who wish to present their research work at the meeting?
•This opportunity for funding shouldn’t be missed!
Encourage and support your staff to apply today www.bbts.org.uk/annualconferenceClosing date June 17th
www.bbts.o rg.uk/annualconference
www.bbts.org.uk
How to Write Amazing Abstracts
As the 17th June is fast approaching and the deadline for
submitting abstracts grows close, we thought we’d put together a
few tips to help your submission stand out. Follow these hints to
increase your chances of getting published, which could help
to secure funding to attend the Annual Conference itself.
Accepted presentations, whether oral
or poster, will be printed in the journal
of Transfusion Medicine which is
recognised both nationally and
internationally. This will help your CPD
portfolio, improve your CV and could
increase your chances of obtaining
funding to attend the meeting.
Most importantly it makes others aware
of your work and will bring you into
contact with those in the transfusion
world with similar interests.
What can I write about?The aim of an abstract is simple: to share research, knowledge and best
practice. Anyone can write one! Consider perhaps what has made your life
easier in the workplace, saved you time and improved the accuracy a
process? If it’s helped you and your colleagues it will more than likely help
someone else. You may have some original scientific research to report,
have undertaken a clinical audit which has led to service improvement or
designed a new process which has improved efficiency. The list is endless!
There are 8 abstract categories to choose from:
Blood Components | Blood Donation/Donors | Clinical Audit |
Clinical Transfusion | Microbiology | IT/QA/Management |
Red Cell Immunology | Stem Cells
Tips to Remember•State the reason for the study/research – let people know what
they’re about to be reading and why it’s important. Make it relevant
and interesting to hold their attention.
1 6
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
•Always ensure acronyms are written out in full when they are first used.
•Describe methods and/or study design – Keep it brief and only include
the main points. It is important for readers to know how you achieved
results but they don’t need every minute detail.
•Keep it concise and to the point - don’t use 10 words when 5 will do.
•Present data and results clearly – A well laid out document is much
easier to digest than an erratic one. Stick to word count, layout and
formatting criteria, it’s there to help.
•Summarise your findings – Explain why your research is important and
what impact it has on future work.
•Give it a great title – The title is the hook that will grip your reader’s
attention. Make it relevant but keep it as short as possible.
•Don’t forget to proof read and spell check
Top three mistakes to avoid:•Your conclusion is not supported
by your data
•Previously published data
•Poor English!
Simply passing your work to a colleague for a ‘fresh pair of eyes’, running
a Google search or hitting spellcheck can dramatically increase your
chances of getting accepted.
Get startedThe deadline for this year’s submissions is 17th June.
Find more information and to complete the submission online :
www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference/abstracts.
Alternatively, contact:
[email protected] or call 0161 232 7999
If you are interested in submitting an abstract in the future but do not feel
quite ready at the moment why not attend our education session –
‘How to Produce a Poster’ on Thursday 17th October at the Annual
Conference in Birmingham www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference
‘Use the IMRAD System – Introduction Methods Results
And Discussion.This will help you to plan
your abstractand structure it correctly.’
Submit your abstractfor 2013 today!
www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference
www.bbts.org.uk
1 8
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
The new BBTS online CPD Tool is here . . .
. . . and it’s free to all members! Record, edit and submit your
CPD online.
The BBTS recognises the significance of CPD to our members.
CPD is important to all healthcare practitioners for their own
benefit, and the benefit of those they care for. It enables you to
boost your career, broaden your knowledge, and enhance your
ability to practice effectively and legally.
We also know that your time is precious, so maintaining your CPD
record should be as easy and efficient as possible. That is why we have
created an online tool for you to document your CPD activities
electronically, leaving more time for you to focus on the activities
themselves, and reflect on the outcomes.
How do I get it?The tool is online so you can access it from any computer with an
internet connection. No need to carry a USB stick around with you, no
need to download a programme to your computer, and no need to worry
about upgrades. Simply log in to the BBTS website, click on CPD in the
menu bar, and away you go.
How do I use it?We aimed to make the tool simple to use, intuitive, and with as many
automated features as possible. There are five easy-to-navigate tabs
to work through:
Work History
Current Job Description
Summary of Work
CPD Activities
Activity Examples
Just click on the tab to access it. In each tab simply type in the relevant
information, or copy and paste text from another document. Information
is automatically saved as you type.
www.bbts.org.uk
Added your work history in the wrong order? Not listed your CPD
activities chronologically? No problem, you can drag and drop each row
to wherever you want it in the tab. No need to delete rows or retype them
if you miss anything out.
The CPD Activities tab provides a form to summarise your CPD activities,
whilst also giving you the option to attach reflective notes and relevant
documents to each activity. You can also define each CPD activity using
the following categories:
Work Based Learning
Professional Activity
Self-Directed Learning
Formal / Educational
Other
Input the hours spent on each activity and the tool will keep a running
total, along with CPD hours overall. This feature, and the Activity Examples
list, both help you to quickly identify where there may be gaps in your
CPD activity.
Reflective Learning
One of the most important elements of CPD is reflective learning, as this
provides a positive opportunity for you to identify and achieve your own
career goals. Reflecting on past experience can make your future
development more methodical, helping you to get the most from your
learning and to realise your ambitions.
You can add and edit reflective notes for each CPD activity that you record.
Click a button to add reflective notes and the tool will automatically add
the activity details from the summary for you. All you have to do then is
write your reflective notes. You can also attach relevant documents, such
as handbooks, presentation notes or certificates. You will be able to see
from the summary form which activities you have completed reflective
notes for, and which activities you have added documents for.
Fully downloadable
Each tab can be downloaded individually, or you can download the entire
record. All of the information downloads to a Word document to allow
easy editing. You can then present and store the record exactly as you
wish for your own use, for your employer, or for your regulatory body
should you be audited. Edit it, save it, print it, email it . . . whatever
you want!
Submitting your CPD to BBTS
You can submit your CPD record to BBTS at the click of your mouse,
and you’ll get a confirmation email that you have done this. The tool
even tells you when you last submitted your CPD record, so you
remember to submit on an annual basis.
What should I include?
We have provided examples of activity types in a checklist form so you can
see the variety of activities that you have completed, or gain inspiration
for additional CPD activities you might wish to pursue.
Attended the BBTS Annual Conference?
Written an article for Bloodlines?
Sat on a BBTS committee?
These and other activities all count in your professional development and
should be in your CPD record.
Regulatory bodies such as the Health and Care Professions Council
(HCPC) may ask to see evidence of your recent CPD activities, and the
online tool is mindful of the CPD standards set by such regulatory bodies
relevant to our members. (Any information on CPD activities over four
years old is probably no longer relevant so we ask that you download and
then delete this information). However, CPD isn’t just about audits and
box-ticking. CPD is an important element of your working life; it is an
essential thread that runs right throughout your career.
I think I’ll give it a try . . . !
Great! There is a Help tab within the tool where you can view
some instructional videos to help get you started, along with a few
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). You can also call or email us
with any queries.
CPD summary returns are now due, so what are you waiting for?
Check out the new BBTS online CPD tool now at www.bbts.org.uk/cpd
Eluned Cook,
BBTS Membership and Education Officer
1 9
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Pathology is changing. The influence of the Carter reports and
significant financial constraints are the key driving forces towards
new ways of delivering pathology services. Laboratories are
amalgamating by forming networks and affiliations with a
“hub and spoke” configuration emerging as the preferred model
to reduce costs and consolidate expertise. These changes will have
an impact on the blood transfusion laboratory.
Blood transfusion is however fundamentally different from other disciplines
within pathology in that it involves the provision of an essential therapeutic
product and therefore operates in a very highly regulated environment.
The quality systems required to manage the receipt, storage,
crossmatching and final fate of blood components in a way which
provides an auditable record of cold chain compliance are demanding
and unique within pathology. Inventory control of blood components
to minimise wastage, promotion of safe transfusion practice and an
understanding of the appropriate use of blood components are all specific
to transfusion.
NHS Blood & Transplant [NHSBT] as
the key supplier of blood and related
diagnostic services is a major
stakeholder in these changes and is
considering how it may adapt its service
provision to meet the needs of our
hospital customers in this new
environment. NHSBT and hospitals
work closely but independently to
provide blood components and
transfusion services to patients.
However, ITS could potentially see
NHSBT and hospitals bring together
their joint expertise through a more
integrated approach.
A comprehensive evaluation of NHSBT services and an assessment of
the developing structure of hospital transfusion provided the basis for
the NHSBT response to Pathology Modernisation as a key strategic priority,
improving the way we work with NHS hospitals to manage blood stocks
more effectively and enhance transfusion services for patients.
Stock ManagementNHSBT’s stock management project is based upon a collaborative
approach to managing the blood supply chain with agreed stock targets
and the adoption of fully integrated processes between NHSBT and
hospitals for the provision of blood products.
Working with pilot hospitals NHSBT is gathering data on stock levels and
usage patterns and using the information to predict their requirements.
This data is then used to automatically generate orders to replenish
stocks, based upon ‘trigger’ levels agreed in advance with the hospital.
The project has developed based on initial work with the John Radcliffe
hospital in Oxford and NHSBT is now working with Blackpool Victoria,
Royal Liverpool and Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals to pilot
the new stock management model.
Stuart Penny, General Manager for Operations – South West, who is
leading the project said, “The pilots are evaluating the benefits of working
with hospitals to help manage their stocks. These could include reducing
costs, blood wastage, the age of blood at issue; improving demand and
collection planning; and allowing faster access to blood and components.
Transfusion InnovationThe NHSBT Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI) department provides a
vital reference service to hospital laboratories. The anticipated changes to
hospital laboratory services with the continued pressure to retain
regulatory compliance and the required skill levels will be a challenging
environment.
The Transfusion Innovation project
involves considering how NHSBT
services could change to meet the
current and future needs of hospital
transfusion laboratories.
During 2012 a ‘blueprint’ was
developed, outlining how NHSBT could
work with hospitals to deliver improved
services for patients. This includes
the RCI service and opportunities to
look more broadly at how quality,
technology, IT, training and workforce
planning could be supported.
Andrew Hadley, General Manager – Specialist Services Operations
said, “ITS aims to respond to this changing world, developing our services
and capabilities to help meet these challenges.”
The next step is to share and discuss this blueprint with some of our
hospital customers and consider how this work fits within the broader
NHSBT strategy for RCI.
NHSBT could potentially play a major part in pathology modernisation by
utilising its already highly developed infrastructure, transport system and
knowledge base to provide a sustainable, cost effective blood transfusion
service, more agile in its delivery of service and more responsive to
the requirements of both patients and donors.
Richard Gray
Process Improvement Manager, NHS Blood & Transplant
2 1
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Integrated Transfusion Service (ITS)
2 2
F E A T U R E R E P O R T S
The British Blood Transfusion Society is delighted tooffer a limited number of junior transfusion staff theopportunity to attend our Annual Conference in Octoberfree of charge as Junior Bursaries.
For you, this means three days of learning, discussion and networking
with the leading minds in transfusion science and you don’t have to pay
a penny. The conference will help you to gain knowledge, develop
understanding and earn yourself CPD credits. We will even help you with
complimentary accommodation and £100 towards travel expenses!
This year’s conference will take place at the ICC in Birmingham 16th –
18th October.
The programme is as impressive as ever with highlights including:
Special Interest Groups on Wednesday 16th October
Award LecturesProf Martin Olsson, Sweden | Prof Neil Avent, Plymouth University |
Dr Ashley Toye, Bristol University | Keynote Speaker, Prof Ben Van
Hout, Sheffield University
Plenary LecturesMr Stuart Penny, NHSBT Filton |Ms Teresa Allen, NHSBT, Oxford |
Dr David Alderson, Trafford General Hospital | Prof Karim Brohi, Barts
& The London | Mr Toby Richards, UCL | Dr Kate Pendry, NHSBT
Manchester
Simultaneous Sessions include:Molecular Blood Grouping, Clinical & Serology Case Studies, Root
Cause Analysis Workshops, Pathogen Reduction & Testing, Transfusion
implications of Transplantation, Six Ts of Transfusion, Challenges in Youth
Blood Donor Recruitment & Retention, Cell Salvage, Nursing, MSC
Update, Sessions dedicated to Young Scientists, Oral Presentations,
Poster Sessions and 4 early morning Educational Sessions.
Meet the Trade and experience cutting edge technology
Socials include Trade Exhibition Supper and the BBTS Gala Dinner
& Awards Ceremony
Sounds good? It really is a great opportunity to attend the leading transfusion conference
in the UK. It’s easy to apply, but places are limited and the competition
is high. Simply complete the application form and write a statement telling
us why you think you should be eligible for a place and why your employer
does too. The deadline for applications is Monday 17th June and forms
can be downloaded from our website
www.bbts.org.uk/bursaries/bursaries
Who can apply?
Trainee Biomedical Scientist [BMS] or BMS1 (Band 5 and below)
| Medical Laboratory Assistants [MLA] | Grade A Clinician Scientists
| Junior Nursing & Training Medical Grades who would like to benefit
from our exciting, refreshing new programme.
Maybe you are a new PhD student or just newly qualified staff who would
like to present your research work at the meeting.
Successful applicants will be expected to become a member of BBTS
and joining is easy. At just £45, our concessionary membership offers
many of its own great benefits including a brand new online CPD tool (see
page 18), reduced rates for all BBTS meetings and a subscription
to receive our exclusive publications ‘Bloodlines’ and ‘Transfusion
Medicine’ direct to your door.
If you have any queries regarding Junior Bursaries please contact the
BBTS office on 0161 232 7998 or email [email protected]
This opportunity for funding shouldn’t be missed . . .
Shaping the Future of Blood Transfusion
www.bbts.org.uk
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T R A D E N EW S & E V E N T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
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T R A D E N EW S & E V E N T S
www.bbts.org.uk
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T R A D E N EW S & E V E N T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Alternatively you can contact us by email at:[email protected]
Once again the Scotblood Annual Conference has an excellent programmeof national and international speakers who will discuss the current issues and future developments
affecting the fields of transfusion, cellular therapy and transplantation.
Some of our notable speakers for 2013 include Sir Ian Wilmut discussing the potential of regenerative medicine, Mrs Andrea Cefarelli discussing the
NYBC perspective on youth recruitment. Ms Joyce Poolewill be delivering the Iain Cook Memorial Lecture and this year the
Keynote speaker is Dr Aileen Keel.
For 2013 we have expanded the concurrent sessions on Friday afternoon.These sessions will be focused on specific areas of transfusion medicine and will
include relevant speakers and discussion.
The four sessions are:• Research, Development & Innovation with Tissues & Cells -
Discussing recent SNBTS and successful collaborative projects. • Clinical Services - Topics to include RhD with a notable lecture from Dr Geoff Daniels.
• Processing and Testing - Discussing current and future process and testing developments. • Donor Services - Discussing recent donor issues and including
a talk from Mrs Christine Foran (NYBC).
Scotblood Annual Conference 20136th-7th June
The 2013 event will once again be held at the picturesque University of Stirling campus.
Prices start from £50 per day delegate and discountedfull conference rates can be found at our website
www.scotblood.co.uk and click on the'2013 Annual Conference' link.
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T R A D E N EW S & E V E N T S
British Blood Transfusion Society 31st Annual ConferenceA packed scientific and clinical programme which is exciting,
refreshing and new for all those working in transfusion & transplantation
16th - 18th October 2013, ICC, Birmingham City Centre
Wednesday 16th October 10:30 - 16:30SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Blood Bank Technology, Components, Hospital Transfusion, Microbiology, Paediatrics, Red Cell, Therapeutic Apheresis
17:00-18:30Opening Plenary: Avoiding Chaos – ‘Crisis Management’‘Chaos/Crisis’ Stories & Learning Points Mr Stuart Penny, NHSBT Filton,
Ms Teresa Allen NHSBT Oxford, Dr David Alderson, Trafford General Hospital
Thursday 17th October 09:00 - 17:30Four Early Morning Educational Sessions
Award Lectures:James Blundell, Prof Martin Olsson, Sweden, Kenneth Goldsmith Prof Neil Avent, Plymouth University
Pathogen Reduction & TestingDr Jean-Claude Osselaer, Belgium, Dr Jose Cancelas, USA, Dr Richard Tedder, UCL, Dr Graham Alexander, Cambridge
Simultaneous sessions include:Clinical & Serology Case Studies, Orals, Root Cause Analysis Workshops,
Transfusion Practitioners lively debate on the ‘ Six Ts of Transfusion’
Award Lectures:Race & Sanger, Dr Ashley Toye, University of Bristol, Keynote Speaker, Prof Ben V an Hout, Leeds
Friday 18th October 09:00 - 15:00In collaboration with NATA, ‘Appropriate Blood Use’
Prof Karim Brohi, Barts and The London , Mr Toby Richards, UCL, Dr Kate Pendry, NHSBT Manchester
Molecular Blood GroupingDr Jill Storry, Sweden, Dr Christoph Gassner, Zurich, Dr Geoff Daniels, NHSBT Filton
Simultaneous sessions include:Transfusion Implications of Transplantation, Challenges in Youth Blood Donor Recuitment & Retention,
Cell Salvage, Nursing, MSC Update Sessions dedicated to Young Scientists, Poster Session and Oral Presentations. Cutting edge technology
& view the latest equipment at the Trade Exhibition Social events include:
Trade Exhibition Supper, BBTS Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony
‘Early Bird’ day rate from £99* Full Conference rate from £318**Member Discount, Early Bird rate closes August 15th
www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference
www.bbts.org.uk
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T R A D E N EW S & E V E N T S
@BritishBloodTS ‘British Blood Transfusion Society’
Contribute to the profession’s development as well as your own. If selected for poster or oral
presentation, a guaranteed receptive audience will welcome your submission. Remember an
abstract will help your CPD Portfolio, it can improve your CV and future prospects and may
increase your chance of funding to attend the meeting in Birmingham in October.
Most importantly, it makes others aware of your work and will bring you into contact with
those in the transfusion world with similar interests.
The aim of an ABSTRACT is simple, to share research, knowledge and best practice
It can be written by you! Do you have original Scientific Research to report?
Have you undertaken Clinical Audit which has led to service improvement?
Have you improved the accuracy of a process? . . . the list is endless.
You have eight categories to choose from:
Blood Components, Clinical Audit, Clinical
Transfusion, Donors & Donation, IT / QA
Management, Microbiology, Red Cell Immunology
& Stem Cells and if selected, your abstract will be
printed in the Journal of Transfusion Medicine.
Abstract submission and tips to help you can be
found at www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference
and you can submit up to June 17 2013.
*Abstracts must be original and must not have
been submitted at another meeting.
If selected, you will be required to register for
Thursday 17th October.
Submit your abstractfor 2013 today!
www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference
31st Annual Scientific Conference
16th-18th October 2013•The ICC Birmingham
Abstracts CLOSE 17th June 2013www.bbts.org.uk/annualconference