UK and Ireland Blood Transfusion Network

The UK and Ireland Blood Transfusion Network (UK&IBTN) was established in 2004 with the aim of sharing best practice and working collaboratively to promote safe, effective and appropriate transfusion practice, and providing a forum to share information and resources in response to significant emerging issues in transfusion practice.

It is an expert group made up of representatives from the blood services of the 4 UK countries and the Republic of Ireland (ROI), and the Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) haemovigilance scheme, and is designed to:

• Facilitate the exchange of information, learning and development of clinical blood transfusion and patient blood management programmes
• Review national initiatives and promote implementation across the UK and ROI when appropriate

The UK&IBTN has oversight of number of initiatives relating to transfusion practice delivered across the UK and ROI, including:

• Clinical Decision-Making and Authorising Blood Component Transfusion
• Blood Transfusion e-Learning
• Transfusion Information for Patients
• Consent for Blood Transfusion - Guidance for Healthcare Practitioners in the UK
• Provision of Blood Transfusion Out of the Acute Hospital Setting (PDF 393KB)

Download the UK&IBTN terms of reference (PDF 168KB)

For any enquiries about UK&IBTN, please email ukibtn@nitransfusion.com