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National standards

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards were developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC).

They are a set of 8 standards used to accredit all health service organisations (HSOs) across a broad range of healthcare areas.

Their purpose is to increase safety and improve healthcare outcomes for patients.

See the current NSQHS Standards(Opens in a new tab/window).

Blood Management Standard

We have worked with the ACSQHC and other stakeholders to develop the Blood Management Standard. This covers managing blood and blood products. The Blood Management Standard aims to improve outcomes for patients by:

  • identifying risks and using strategies that optimise and conserve a patient's own blood
  • ensuring that any blood and blood products that patients receive are safe and appropriate.

The Blood Management Standard(Opens in a new tab/window) lists the blood and blood products the standard covers. It also defines 3 criteria and 10 actions that HSOs must meet around:

  • clinical governance and quality improvement to support blood management
  • prescribing and clinical use of blood and blood products
  • managing the availability and safety of blood and blood products.

Resources to help you meet the standards

We have developed information and resources to help HSOs implement the Blood Management Standard:

Inventory management for blood and blood products

Patient blood management

Transfusion-related adverse events

Immunoglobulin

We have also worked with the ACSQHC and other stakeholders to develop resources that support the NSQHS Standards. These resources will help you to improve patient safety and healthcare quality.

Resources include:

  • user guides
  • workbooks
  • risk matrices
  • monitoring tools. 
     

Access the NSQHS resources(Opens in a new tab/window).

National Stewardship Statement

In 2010, the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference issued a statement of the blood stewardship expectations Australian Health Providers should meet. This Stewardship Statement lists 7 principles for managing blood and blood products.

The Blood Management Standard builds on these expectations. It outlines the safety and quality expectations of HSOs in:

  • patient blood management
  • managing blood and blood products.

National Stewardship Program

External pathology service providers

Pathology service providers (providers) outside of your HSO are not subject to NSQHS Standard accreditation. However, if you outsource blood management activities, you should ensure the provider meets the Blood Management Standard criteria.

You can do this by:

  • putting a process in place to monitor the provider's activities
  • ensuring you receive reports from the provider that satisfy Blood Management Standard requirements
  • implementing a contract with the provider that addresses these requirements.

You can use our letter templates to explain to your provider what the Blood Management Standard requires.

Get in touch

If you have a query about how to meet the Blood Management Standard at your HSO, please contact us.

Last updated: 27 Mar 2024

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