Blood Consultative Committee

The Blood Consultative Committee works with the national executive blood bodies and other stakeholders to develop advice and recommendations on regulatory aspects of blood banks, blood establishments and blood processes.

Role of the committee

The primary objectives of the committee are to:

advise and provide information to stakeholders concerning the collection, testing, processing, storage, distribution and use of blood and blood components for transfusion
provide a forum for consultation and two-way discussion regarding proposed regulatory changes relating to the practical aspects of implementations
provide a forum to raise and take forward actions on strategic issues

At least one meeting will be held a year. The meeting will be chaired by a senior manager of the MHRA who will also provide the secretary.

Items to be discussed may include:

regulatory matters related to blood quality and safety
the performance and operation of haemovigilance systems (SABRE and SHOT)
interpretation of the principles of Good Practice by the Competent Authority
good practice compliance trends for blood banks and blood establishments
implementation of changes based upon newly emerging scientific evidence

Members

The current members represent:

MHRA
- Inspectors
- IE&S Regulatory Advice Unit
- Devices Haemovigilance Team (SABRE)
The national executive blood bodies:
- England: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
- Scotland: Scottish National Blood Service (SNBTS)
- Wales: Welsh Blood Service (WBS)
- Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS)
Other Blood Establishments:
- Ministry of Defence
Hospital Blood Banks:
- UK Transfusion Laboratory Collective
- A cross-section of hospital blood bank service providers (NHS trusts, pathology partnerships and private organisations)
Joint United Kingdom Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC)
Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT)
The Haemophilia Society
Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
British Society for Haematology
British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS)
National Blood transfusion Committees
- England: National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC)
UKAS
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
Other members may attend on an ad-hoc basis, such as other government departments, with respect to other regulatory aspects of blood banks, blood establishments and blood processes