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Blood transfusion

We offer a range of services in blood transfusion and our consultant haematologists are available to offer clinical advice.

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Completion of request form and specimen ID

In order for us to provide you with a quality service, it is important that you provide us with a completed request form as follows:

•    Patient’s full name – forename(s) and surname
•    Date of birth
•    Hospital number
•    Sample collection time and date
•    Referrer’s full name and contact details

Requests for blood must indicate:

•    Number of units required
•    Component type
•    Date and time required
•    Relevant clinical information / reason for transfusion
•    Patient location
•    Special requirements (e.g. Irradiated)
•    Antibody history
•    Previous transfusion history

Please telephone urgent requests to the Blood Transfusion Laboratory.

Sample requirements

Adhesive address labels are accepted on request forms. However, we cannot accept samples for blood transfusion unless the information on the bottle has been hand-written.

A 6mL (pink top) EDTA sample handwritten is required and must be labelled with:
•    Patient’s full name – forename(s) and surname
•    Date of birth
•    Hospital number
•    Sample collection time and date
•    Signature of person taking the sample.

Test description Sample type Turnaround time for urgent samples
Bloody group & antibody screen 6mL EDTA (Pink top) 4 hours*
Blood group 6mL EDTA (Pink top) 4 hours*
Cross match 6mL EDTA (Pink top) 4 hours*
Direct antiglobulin test 6mL EDTA (Pink top) 4 hours*
Rh/K Phenotyping** 6mL EDTA (Pink top) 4 hours*

* The presence of atypical antibodies may require samples to be referred to an external referral laboratory for confirmation – up to 5 working days

** Extended RBC Phenotyping referred to an external referral laboratory – up to 5 working days.

Urgent samples

We will process your request urgently when you indicate that this is appropriate. Please advise us to expect an urgent sample by telephoning the laboratory.

Please indicate on the request form that the sample is urgent.

More information

Blood transfusion request form

We are able to group and save samples taken from patients who may require a blood transfusion in the future. Samples are valid for 72hrs from collection.

Please note that we must have two valid group and screen samples on the system prior to crossmatching. These must have been taken on two separate occasions (2 separate venepuncture episodes).

Please contact us as soon as possible for blood transfusion requirements. We often require additional time if the patient has atypical antibodies.

Platelets are ordered for named patients from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).

Delivery time is approximately two hours. Due to the short shelf life of platelets, we advise infusion as soon as possible after delivery.

Requests for HLA/HPA matched platelets – Please give advanced notice. These cannot be ordered outside of routine hours.

FFP can be requested from the blood transfusion laboratory and units are issued according to patients grouping. The plasma units are thawed under controlled conditions and are available in approximately 30 minutes. Thawed plasma is stable for 24 hours at 4°C or for four hours at room temperature. Standard dosage is 10-15mL/kg of body weight.

Pooled cryoprecipitate can be requested from the blood transfusion laboratory and units are issued according to patients grouping. The cryoprecipitate units are thawed under controlled conditions and are available in approximately 30 minutes. Thawed cryoprecipitate is stable for only four hours at room temperature and must be used within this time (two pools is equal to one adult dose).

Please contact the laboratory immediately. You will be advised on the specimens that need to be collected.

Human albumin solution (both 4.5% and 20%) is available from our pharmacy.

Rhophylac anti-D (Rh) immunoglobulin, 1500 IU (300 μg) can be obtained from our blood transfusion laboratory. We will require evidence of the patient’s blood group before the product can be issued.

David Veniard
Blood Transfusion Manager
T: +44 (0)20 4527 0434 Ext: 7005
E: d.veniard@thelondonclinic.co.uk

Dr Richard Kaczmarski
Special interests: Haematological malignancies, transfusion medicine

Professor J Gribben
Special interests: Lymphoma, leukaemia, stem cell transplantation

Dr Riaz Jan-Mohamed
Special interests: Haemato-oncology, stem cell transplantation

Dr Mike Potter
Special interests: Stem cell transplantation, haematological malignancies

Samples will be rejected for the following reasons:

  • Insufficiently filled samples (The minimum sample requirement for automated processing is 2ml).
  • Patient demographics missing, incorrect or not matching the request form.
  • Samples that are missing the collection date and time.
  • Samples labelled with addressograph labels.
  • Samples received without a request form must be rejected on the basis that the form was not used to positively identify the patient.
  • Haemolysed samples.
  • Clotted samples.

If additional tests are required for a sample that we have already received, please contact the Blood Transfusion laboratory.

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