Giving blood saves lives
On the 1 October 2005 UK Transplant merges with the National Blood Service (NBS) to become a new authority, NHS Blood and Transplant. Here, Jude Pamington, NBS regional communications manager, gives some background to the role of the NBS. With over 6,000 employees and fifteen blood centres, the National Blood Service is a large and eclectic organisation. It is an integral part of the NHS; supplying blood, blood products and tissues to 310 hospitals across England and North Wales. The NBS is part of the National Blood Authority (NBA), along with the Bio Products Laboratory (BPL) at Elstree. Blood is a versatile product that can be used to stem blood loss during or after an operation, provide essential support during cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and give newborn babies a fighting chance. The demand for blood never stops and the NBS must collect 9,000 units donations every day to keep stocks buoyant. It relies on voluntary and non-remunerated donors, who give because they want to help save lives. Last year, over In the past year two .3 million units donations of blood were produced given by more than 1.3 million donors. Just 6% of the eligible population currently give blood, so one of the Service’s biggest challenges is to ensure that regular donors keep giving blood and raise awareness amongst those who can, but don’t. Blood is rarely used as a whole product. It is usually separated into three components: red cells, plasma and platelets, each of which has its own life-saving qualities. Patient safety is paramount so every unit is tested for a range of blood-borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. All testing and processing must meet Good Manufacturing Practice and EU Blood Directive standards and centres are regularly inspected by the Medicines and Healthcare P products Regulatory Agency. Red cells last for 35 days after donation, while platelets last just five. It is therefore vital that stocks are managed wisely and that blood is used appropriately. The NBS works in close partnership with hospitals, NHS Trusts and the Department of Health to promote such appropriate use and this action has resulted in a predicted 6% reduction in the demand for red cells in 2004/05. The NBS also provides a complete range of diagnostic services to hospitals including tissue typing for approximately 40% of solid organ donations, transfusion microbiology and scientific teaching and training in transfusion medicine. It also carries out a range of antenatal services for around a third of NHS facilities. In addition to collecting, processing, testing and issuing blood, the NBS also has a world-class team of scientists and medics who are driving forward the international agendas on research and development. Current areas of research include tissue and cellular engineering, protein engineering and blood and tissue safety. Tissue services is a growing field for the NBS, which is now the largest multi-tissue banking organisation in the UK. The Service runs a tissue donation programme, collecting bone, heart valves, tendons, skin and managing referrals for corneas. In 2003/04, around 4,800 tissue grafts were issued to hospitals (364 tissue retrievals from cadaveric donors and 4,184 from surgical donors). In addition, the NBS runs and promotes the British Bone Marrow Register (BBMR), and runs the London Cord Blood Bank. It also collects, processes and cryopreserves stem cells – another rapidly developing field of research. The NBS is joined under the NBA umbrella by BPL, which employs 600 staff. BPL develops and manufactures a range of therapeutic products from plasma, which is imported from the US. Plasma is a rich source of proteins; proteins that are used to produce coagulation factors (such as factor VIII for haemophiliacs), immunoglobulins and albumins. BPL is an essential part of the NBA business and, along with the NBS, contributes to saving and improving the lives of thousands of sick and injured patients each year. |
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The NBS must collect 9,000 blood donations every day.