Customer Feedback on Commercial Supply Contracts

IMPORTANT – any adverse event arising from the use of a product supplied under the national blood arrangements should be reported to the relevant product supplier, and serious adverse events should be reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.  Further information can be found at Recognising, Managing and Reporting Adverse Events for Blood Products.

The NBA’s contracts require suppliers to meet defined performance standards, to maintain supply security reserves, and to provide appropriate product support information and services. It is important for the supplier companies and the NBA to know if doctors, nurses, other health professionals, laboratory staff and even patients are happy with the level of service they are receiving from suppliers. The NBA aims to ensure excellent service and responsiveness by our suppliers. If you are dissatisfied, we would also like to know about it so that we can respond to your concerns and improve services.

All suppliers are required to maintain an accessible channel for receiving feedback and we encourage the use of these to register concerns in the first instance. For example, you should contact the product supplier in the following circumstances:

  • You are unable to place an order with the supplier 24 x 7 and have it acknowledged.
  • Orders are not received by the time you requested, or within 48 hours for routine and 24 hours for urgent orders if no time is requested.
  • The product was not delivered to the correct recipient.
  • You do not receive the quantity and presentation size specified in the order.
  • The product delivered is outside the expiry date.
  • You have difficulty in returning product or having faulty or expired product replaced.
  • You do not receive adequate product support, information and advice.

Suppliers are required to respond appropriately to feedback, and to provide a periodic report to the NBA summarising feedback received and the improvement actions taken in response.  Suppliers may also undertake specific surveys or other processes to proactively gather feedback, and this will also be covered in the summary report to the NBA.

Feedback on performance issues relating to the supply of commercial products under the national blood arrangements can also be provided directly to the NBA at supply.management.plasma@blood.gov.au.