Within England, blood and platelet supplies remain low (pre-Amber alert) but all requests are currently being fulfilled and this is not affecting patient care. However, supply may continue to be affected over the next weeks and months by future industrial action and effort to conserve blood stocks and reduce avoidable transfusions must continue.
To prepare for future potential platelet shortages, NHS Blood and Transplant (England) has developed a new platelet component (reduced-dose apheresis platelet component) which can be used in future severe shortage situations (Amber or Red shortage alert).
This contains a specification of ≥ 150 x 109 platelets/unit instead of the standard specification of ≥ 240 x 109 platelets/unit, for use in older children and adults requiring prophylactic platelet transfusions during a severe shortage situation. Standard dose platelets would continue to be used for patients who are bleeding.
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