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Scottish National Blood Transfusion Committee

Published on 06 August 2021

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Committee (SNBTC) promotes best clinical transfusion practice in Scotland.

SNBTC’s aims include:

  • providing support to encourage best transfusion practice at national and local level across Scotland
  • supporting the adoption of high-quality local protocols based on national guidelines, including alternatives to homologous blood transfusion
  • supporting interaction between SNBTS and hospital transfusion committees (HTCs)
  • promoting adherence to relevant legislation
  • encouraging clinical transfusion research

The committee reports to the Chief Medical Officer. Members include clinicians, laboratory scientists, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) staff and Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate officials.

Supporting best transfusion practice in Scotland

SNBTC members work across a range of transfusion issues in Scotland, providing support and advice to help improve and maintain transfusion standards at both a national and local level.

Sharing information and advice on best practice to help:

  • improve safety in transfusion practice
  • improve appropriate clinical use of blood components
  • reduce the need for allogeneic blood transfusion

Communicating with national groups that are developing transfusion practice guidelines to:

  • ensure SNBTC members are part of relevant guideline development groups
  • provide feedback on draft guidelines

The committee also works to:

  • highlight and make recommendations on issues relevant to HTCs, including training and education for everyone involved in transfusion
  • support and monitor the work of HTCs by setting and reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • oversee the SNBTS Transfusion Team Audit Programme
  • agree SNBTS Transfusion Team work plans
  • raise any issues with SNBTS about service delivery at a national level
  • identify transfusion service development needs from a clinical perspective
  • consider the patient’s perspective of blood transfusion services