This course will introduce the major aspects of Transfusion Medicine to enable safe and effective practice to StRs and ST2/3s newly in post.

The following topics are covered within this course:

• ABO, Rh and major blood group systems
• Nomenclature of blood group systems
• Detection and identification of red cell antibodies
• Pre transfusion testing Blood components and products
• NHSBT and provision of components
• Routine use of blood components
• Appropriate use of blood components

The programme is for:

• Doctors commencing studies in Transfusion Medicine
• All newly registered Speciality Registrars (StRs) within the first 6 months of training

This comprehensive course includes tutorials, case studies, data interpretation and exercises relating to transfusion practice. The programme is 5 days in total and consists of digital packages and virtual classrooms. Half a day is set aside to visit local a Transfusion Laboratory and perform serological investigations*.

*The transfusion medicine curriculum advises you to build a good working relationship with your hospital laboratory and to support you with this. Listed below are some basic techniques we recommend you perform at your own hospital transfusion laboratory. These will help with your theoretical learning and embed the knowledge gained.

• ABO forward and reverse typing
• D typing
• Rh/K phenotyping (C,E,c,e,K)
• Antibody screen
• Antibody identification

Have read the current BSH Guidelines in Transfusion Medicine.

The timetable for the Essential Transfusion Medicine programme allows time within its 5-day schedule for you to practice these techniques and/or to organise another convenient time for you and your hospital transfusion laboratory soon after the learning has been completed, and to allow the embedding of the theory.

Half a day is set aside to visit local a Transfusion Laboratory and perform serological investigations*.

*The transfusion medicine curriculum advises you to build a good working relationship with your hospital laboratory and to support you with this. Listed below are some basic techniques we recommend you perform at your own hospital transfusion laboratory. These will help with your theoretical learning and embed the knowledge gained.

It is highly recommend you liaise with your hospital transfusion laboratory, giving them plenty of notice and ask if you are able to observe and perform (where possible) the following techniques and all to be performed by the routine methodology in place.

• ABO forward and reverse typing
• D typing
• Rh/K phenotyping (C,E,c,e,K)
• Antibody screen
• Antibody identification

Course material and links will be sent 2 weeks prior to 5-day course.

You will receive

• Link to pre course Modules to be completed prior to attendance.
• A course workbook will be available to print from the digital learning platform.
• Programme timetable

Core reading material that may help you with this programme;

• Transfusion Medicine BSG Guidelines
• An introduction to Blood Transfusion Science and Blood Bank Practice
• Transfusion & Transplantation Science (2013) Oxford University Press ISBN 9780199533282
• The Handbook of Transfusion Medicine (5th Edition 2013)The Stationary Office ISBN 9780117068469

There is an assessment as part of this programme: informal tutor observation during the course, questions and informal discussions, course exercises, data interpretation, assessments and revision material.