Every year, the Strategic Blood Forum brings members of the blood sector together to discuss issues around the provision and prescription of blood components in Australia. This year saw a new, more dynamic and entertaining way of exploring key topics: debates.
Hosted by the Blood Service in Sydney in late November, the 2015 forum was attended by representatives from a broad range of clinical professional groups, state and territory health departments, the Department of Health, the National Blood Authority, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Blood Service.
The agenda covered some of industry’s current biggest topics, including a focus on two key topics: optimising the supply of group O negative red cells, and the role of group A plasma in bleeding emergencies. Along with speakers covering current Australian and international practice as well as supply challenges and options on these issues, the topics were also the focus of two entertaining debates.
In each of the debates, invited health professionals from different organisations and backgrounds argued ‘affirmative’ and ‘negative’ points of view.
Debaters included Dr Sue MacCallum of Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney and Dr Anne Haughton of Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology persuading either way over the use of O positive red cells in a bleeding adult patient (excluding women of child-bearing potential) before the blood group is known; and Dr James Daly, ANZSBT president, and Dr Ellen Maxwell, Director of Haematology at Melbourne Pathology, each putting their spin on the emergency issue of group A fresh frozen plasma in a bleeding patient before the blood group is known.
Blood Service Chief Executive, Jennifer Williams said that the new format, which included the debates, meant it was the ‘best forum so far’.
“There was strong engagement with the audience from the speakers,” she said. “Their arguments were factually based, yet they were able to make the topics entertaining.”
And it wasn’t just the debaters who got the audience thinking. Invited speakers from the Blood Service and various organisations provided insights on a range of other topics. These included availability of fibrinogen concentrates, options to extend cryoprecipitate shelf life after thawing, trials on frozen platelets for civilian use, the National Immunoglobulin Governance Program and BloodSTAR, new red cell genotyping services and technology at the Blood Service, and strategies for the prevention of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus (CMV).
A summary of the outcomes from the forum will be distributed separately. Thank you to all the speakers and panel members who contributed their time and expertise to create this successful event.