Consent for Blood Transfusion

It is a general legal and ethical principle that valid consent should be obtained from a patient before they are treated.

In 2025 SaBTO (the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs) published guidelines on Patient Consent and Shared Decision-Making for Blood Transfusion, an update to the previous SaBTO Patient Consent to Blood Transfusion Guidelines from 2020. The aim of these guidelines is to ensure that: 

• pertinent information about blood transfusion is proivded to patients exposed to blood components and blood products in healthcare setting;
   
• an effective process is in place for obtaining patients’ consent and supporting shared decision-making.

The webpages associated to this one - Transfusion Information for Patients and Consent for Blood Transfusion - Guidance for Healthcare Practitioners in the UK - provide further information for each of these groups.

Useful links:

BSH Blood Administration Guidelines

General Medical Council Consent Guidance

Department of Health Reference Guide to Consent for Examination or Treatment