BloodSafe

The BloodSafe program is a blood transfusion safety and quality improvement collaborative between SA Health, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, SA public and private hospitals and their transfusion service providers.

BloodSafe is sponsored by the South Australian Department for Health and Wellbeing. Our mission is to coordinate a safety and quality framework for all steps of blood transfusion practice to improve patient outcomes and ensure sufficiency of blood supply.

Clinical information

  • Anaemia management - managing patients with anaemia and iron deficiency anaemia.
  • Blood Inventory and product and fridge registers - blood fridge register/log book sheets for recording quality assurance and maintenance of blood fridges and an inventory app.
  • Blood utilisation studies - SA blood utilisation studies database which utilises linked hospital and pathology data. Enables analysis of aggregate blood product use across the South Australian public health sector for all fresh products.
  • Contacts - Contact details for BloodSafe clinical leads, transfusion nurses, BloodMove and SA Health.
  • Education and training - BloodSafe eLearning Australia online courses.
  • Quick Reference Guide – transition to ISBT 128 donor numbers on blood packs
  • Guidelines and standards - Standard 7: Blood and Blood Products and the National Clinical Practice Guidelines
  • Patient blood management - evidence-based medical and surgical practices for preventing anaemia and decreasing bleeding.
  • Transfusion practice - consent, prescribing and administration of blood and blood components, paediatric transfusion information kit and red cell usage resources.

Consumer information

  • Blood transfusions - consent for transfusion, immunoglobulin infusion and a paediatric information kit with resources for children and parents.
  • Iron disorders and iron therapy - iron deficiency and iron overload, as well as treatment options. Selected brochures available in 10 languages.

BloodSafe clinical lead contacts

Dr Kathryn Robinson, BloodSafe Medical Advisor
Telephone: (08) 8422 1278

Amanda Catherwood, Patient Blood Management
Telephone: (08) 8463 3411

Nicolle Ginman, Statewide Nurse Consultant, Immunoglobulin Programme
Telephone: 0435 963 374

Transfusion nurse contacts

Amanda Green
Lyell McEwin & Modbury Hospital
Telephone: 0409 116 207

Russell Hunt
Flinders Medical Centre & Noarlunga Hospital 
Telephone: (08) 8204 4734

Joanne Goodwin
Transfusion Nurse Consultant - SA Private Hospitals
Telephone: (08) 8112 1305

Joanne Goodwin
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Telephone: (08) 8222 7814

Steph O'Connor
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Telephone:(08) 7074 4783

Jodie Grech
Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Telephone: (08) 8161 8387

BloodMove

Kristen Bull, Nurse Manager BloodMove, Country Health SA
Telephone: 0438 023 720

Rick Tocchetti, BloodMove Medical Scientist
Telephone: (08) 8204 1443

Cathie Gore, BloodMove Medical Scientist
Telephone: (08) 8226 6113

SA Health contacts

Susan Ireland, Director, Blood, Organ and Tissue Programs Unit
Telephone: (08) 8463 6197
Email: HealthBloodOrganandTissuePrograms@sa.gov.au

Blood, Organ and Tissue Programs Unit
Address: Citi Centre Building, Level 8, 11 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide South Australia 5000
Postal: PO Box 287, Rundle Mall, SA 5000, Australia
Telephone: (08) 8463 6197
Fax: (08) 8463 5540

BloodSafe eLearning Australia

Please visit the BloodSafe eLearning Australia Program website for contact details.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Immunoglobulin (IVIg, SCIg) BloodSTAR clinical information and emergency authorisation
Telephone: 1300 707 755
Email: nationalbloodstar@redcrossblood.org.au

HLA-Matched/Compatible Platelet Requests
Telephone: 1300 669 054
Email:  LCPTSA@redcrossblood.org.au

Medical Services Team for specialist advice and customer service
Refer to Lifeblood’s contact page for health professionals