Thread by @TransfusionWM

This morning I met with the chair and vice chair of the Midlands Regional Transfusion Committee, the Midlands Patient Blood Management Practitioner and the Customer Services Manager. What are their roles and what does the RTC do?
A #blooducation 🧵

RTCs serve to bring together Hospital Transfusion Committees to discuss best practice, implement new guidance and provide educational resources and events. They are run by clinicians and scientists working in hospitals, supported by @NHSBT.

There are 7 RTCs in England transfusionguidelines.org/uk-transfusion… (NB map hasn’t been updated to reflect recent changes) @london_rtc @NEY_RTC @SW_RTC @SEC_RTC

Support for hospitals by NHSBT includes PBM practitioners- experienced transfusion practitioners supporting hospitals implement PBM measures. PBM is an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to caring for patients who might need a blood transfusion. Follow them here @PBM_NHS

Customer services managers are usually scientists by background who serve as the point of contact for hospitals who have queries and problems. CSMs work to ensure NHSBT services are accessible and efficient and also support the RTCs.

Most RTCs will run business meetings (reviewing practice e.g. wastage figures, O neg use, and discussing current issues e.g. blood shortages) and educational events. Lots of educational events are now online and open – see a list of events here transfusionguidelines.org/uk-transfusion…

RTCs also have working groups e.g. lab managers’ group, transfusion practitioners, audit group, education. In the Midlands a pre hospital blood working group is being established. These support networks help promote good practice, share ideas and work together to resolve problems

Membership of the RTCs includes the chair of each hospital’s HTC, lab managers, lead TPs and clinicians who use blood –not just haematologists but anaesthetists, O&G, ED, surgeons and so on. Anyone involved in transfusion is welcome to attend the educational events.

In hospitals the HTC is the “user group” of departments that use blood, supported by the hospital transfusion team. The users have a forum to ask for what they need and the transfusion team can highlight changes and share best practice. Significant adverse events are reviewed.

HTCs usually meet quarterly, and are often chaired by a clinician who may not be a haematologist (my personal belief is a non haematologist chair helps provide balance). The HTC is an important avenue for flagging safety concerns, and an HTC should report to the exec team...

...e.g. risk officer sits on the committee and/or the chair may report regularly to the trust wide governance meeting

The role of the HTT is to carry out the actions of the HTC. It will usually comprise
☑️TPs
☑️lab manager
☑️quality manager
☑️haematologist

Roles of the HTT include
✅tracking training compliance
✅addressing wastage
✅writing guidelines
✅reviewing adverse events
✅identifying any necessary changes to practice

At the other end, the @NBTC have a national role devloping standard and collaborating w stakeholders inc RCN, RCPath, NICE, DOH etc. They influence transfusion practice nationally and, through the HTCs and RTCs, ensure hospitals have a say in how policy is developed.

All the acronyms and groups can be confusing but essentially this is lots of transfusion specialists and users of blood working together to improve patient safety and appropriate use of blood. Thanks to everyone who gives their valuable time to support the cause!

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