Haemovigilance is defined by the International Haemovigilance Network as ‘a set of surveillance procedures covering the whole transfusion chain from the collection of blood and its components to the follow-up of recipients. It is intended to collect and assess information on unexpected or undesirable effects resulting from the therapeutic use of labile blood products, and to prevent their occurrence or recurrence’.
The Western Australian haemovigilance reporting system is a voluntary state-wide activity to capture serious hospital transfusion adverse events. WA Haemovigilance reporting aligns with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard 7 Blood Management (external site) which requires that:
- the health service organisation uses processes for reporting transfusion-related adverse events, in accordance with national guidelines and criterias
- the health service organisation participates in haemovigilance activities, in accordance with the national framework
These criteria highlight the importance of conducting haemovigilance and promoting the safe management of blood and blood products. Contributing WA data to national haemovigilance reporting also provides the opportunity to improve upon clinical practice and blood product safety.
Haemovigilance data from WA is reported nationally via the National Blood Authority (NBA) which feeds into the national reporting framework. The NBA’s national haemovigilance program is informed by the Haemovigilance Advisory Committee (HAC).
The HAC comprises experts in transfusion medicine, science, nursing and epidemiology from both the private and public health care sectors. This group provides advice to governments on adverse event reporting originating from health service organisations and on national transfusion safety priorities. Details on national haemovigilance can be found here (external site).
WA Haemovigilance Toolkit:
These downloadable documents contain resources that will support and guide hospital staff in collecting haemovigilance data.
Further information
Members of the Blood Unit are available from Monday to Friday during the hours of 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Blood Unit
Office of the Chief Medical Officer
Level 3, GPO Building
3 Forrest Place
Perth WA 6000
Phone: 6373 2321
Email: bloodmanagement@health.wa.gov.au
Last reviewed: 09-11-2022
Produced by
WA Blood Management