National Haemovigilance Office
What is the National Haemovigilance Office?
The National Haemovigilance Office was set up by the IBTS and launched by the Minister for Health and Children in 1999. The purpose of a haemovigilance programme is to identify unexpected or undesirable effects of transfusion of blood components by ensuring they are reported in a timely and reliable manner.
The NHO was also charged with promotion of best transfusion practice in hospitals throughout Ireland, through advice, guidelines and education.
Definition of Haemovigilance
A set of organised surveillance procedures relating to serious adverse or unexpected events or reactions in donors or recipients and the epidemiological follow-up of donors (EC Directive 2002/98/EC).
Remit of the Office
The remit of the NHO is to:
- Receive, collate and follow up reports from hospitals and general practitioners of adverse reactions/events connected with transfusion of blood components/products and provide feedback information to those making the report as appropriate.
- Advise on the follow-up action necessary, particularly with regard to suspected hazards.
- Report adverse reaction to the IMB according to an agreed procedure.
- Provide ongoing support to hospital- based Haemovigilance Officers and as appropriate to medical nursing and technical staff.
- Provide medical, scientific and nursing analysis of adverse reaction reports.
- Advise on improvements on the safety of transfusion practice based on the data made available by hospitals.
- Support development of clinical guidelines for hospitals in relation to the use of blood components/products.
- Support as appropriate the training of medical, nursing and technical staff in haemovigilance.
- Support the audit function of hospitals in relation to transfusion practice
- Report to the National Blood Users Group on a periodic basis with a view to developing national best transfusion practice.
- A major part of the remit is education, training and support in relation to best transfusion practice at hospital level.
What's New at the NHO
ISBT 128/Codabar Information
Following on from the ISBT 128/Codabar Information day on 19th May 2010 we have examples of how a unit and a compatibility/product issue report will appear.
Example 1 codabar numbering with a hospital compatibility/product issue form
Example 2 ISBT 128 numbering with a hospital compatibility/product issue form
These are general examples and while these may not exactly match your hospital report they will give you a general idea of how the unit and compatibility/product issue report will appear.
Example 3 IBTS label with both numbers highlighted which you may rather use for teaching if the compatibility/product issue report does not meet your individual requirements.
NHO Team
Director National Haemovigilance Office: Dr Emer Lawlor
Haemovigilance Officers (HVO):
- Róisín Brady
- Marina Cronin
- Kathleen Heery
- Marcia Kirwan
- Jackie Sweeney
Programme Administrator: Cathy Scuffil
You can contact us at haemovigilance@ibts.ie