Welcome
Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the UK
7th Edition
Update notice: text HIGHLIGHTED has changed following the issue of Change Notification 12 - 2010
The JPAC Standing Advisory Committee on Care and Selection of Donors has redrafted chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6
of the Red Book. The 4 chapters have been re written into 3 more focused chapters reflecting the fact that care
and selection of donors is similar whether they are whole blood or component donors. Outdated prohibitions
have been removed. The repetition of the Donor Selection Guidelines (DSG) in the chapters has also been
removed as the DSG is an appendix to the Red Book.
Other changes reflect an updated understanding of apheresis, actual adult blood volumes and the new
technology now being used. This results in changes to a reduced safe Extra Corporeal Volume (15% rather
than 20%) and improved charts and appendixes. Following legal advice on Consent, more information on
competence (following the Mental Capacity act 2005), confidentiality and Donor Adverse events has been
added.
For further information please see Change Notification 12 2010
The 'Red Book' (as the printed version of these guidelines are known) aims to define guidelines for all materials produced by the United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services for both therapeutic and diagnostic use. The guidelines reflect an expert view of current best practice, provide specifications ofproducts, and describe technical details of processes .Every effort has been made to ensure thatthe guidelines reflect the legally binding requirements of the Blood Safety (and Quality) and Regulations, UK Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 50.
Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the 'Red Book', the regulatory environment, the Blood Safety (and Quality) regulations, and relevant EU Directives.
The publication of the Red Book and its appearance on the website does not necessarily mean that the practices outlined are brought into use in the Services simultaneously. For operational reasons, the implementation dates may be decided separately by the 4 UK Services. Please consult your relevant Service (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales) for details of implementation dates.
This site provides:
A portable document file (pdf) version of the current printed version of the Guidelines (7th edition, October 2005).
An online (browser) version. This is updated periodically by means of Change Notifications (view)The printed book can be purchased from:
The Stationery Office (www.tsoshop.co.uk)
Direct link: http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/bookstore.asp?FO=1160007&DI=557693).
Publication history
| 1990 | 1st edition | Published by HMSO |
| 1993 | 2nd edition | Published by HMSO |
| 1994 | 3rd edition | Private publication |
| 1999 | Amendments | to 3rd edition |
| 2000 | 4th edition | Published by TSO |
| Nov 2001 | 5th edition | Published by TSO |
| Nov 2002 | 6th edition | Published by TSO |
| Oct 2005 | 7th edition | Published by TSO |