National Comparative Audit of Blood Transfusion

What is the National Comparative Audit?

The National Comparative Audit of Blood Transfusion (NCABT) is a programme of clinical audits which looks at the use and administration of blood and blood components in NHS and independent hospitals in England and North Wales.

For the last 14 years we have offered participation in our programme to hospitals served by the blood services in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The objective of the programme is to provide evidence that blood is being prescribed and used appropriately and administered safely, and to highlight where practice is deviating from the guidelines to the possible detriment of patient care.

The programme has been in operation since 2003 and is funded entirely by NHS Blood and Transplant through the blood pricing mechanism, and is one of the largest independently funded audit programmes in the UK. No charge is made to UK hospitals participating in it. 

Audits and surveys

2018 Audit of the management of major haemorrhage

• Full report (PDF)
• Key points (PDF) 

2018 Survey of O D negative red cell use

• Full report  (PDF)

2017 Audit of transfusion-associated circulatory overload

• Full report  (PDF)
• Key points (PDF)

2017 Audit of red cell & platelet transfusions in haematology patients

• Full report (PDF)
• Key points (PDF)

2016 Audit of red cell transfusion in Hospices

• Full report (PDF)

2016 Audit of Patient Blood Management in adults undergoing elective, scheduled surgery

• Full report (PDF)
• Key points (PDF)

Schedule

Audits for 2020 have been postponed due to COVID-19:

• Audit of Patient Blood Management in paediatric surgery 
• Survey of use of FFP, cryoprecipitate, PCC and fibrinogen concentrate 
• Audit of NICE Quality Standards

Contact

John Grant-Casey
National Comparative Audit Programme Manager
Telephone: 07720 275388
john.grant-casey@nhsbt.nhs.uk

David Dalton
National Comparative Audit Project Officer
Telephone: 0121 278 8216
david.dalton@nhsbt.nhs.uk