New guidance to hospitals on shelf life requirements for red cell transfusions

We want to send a huge thank you to the twenty-six hospitals that have already implemented the new guidance and completely changed their ordering practice.

We’d like to remind all other hospitals to amend your ordering practice in line with the recent joint statement released by NHSBT, NBTC & UK Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Societies

Please stop requesting ‘fresh’ or ‘max life’ units when creating red cell orders in line with the recommendation.

Please also remember to amend any existing standing orders you may have in place that stipulate max life.

This change will improve our ability to provide patients with red cells that better match their extended phenotype, especially those with the R₀ phenotype.

Tracy Tomlinson - National Lead, Patient Blood Management