The Serious Hazards of Transfusion scheme report for 2014 was published recently and is available on the SHOT website. A summary of the report is reproduced below by kind permission.
Blood and blood component transfusion in the UK is very safe with a small number of adverse incidents in relation to the number of components issued and transfused. In 2014 (January to December) the total number of reports made to SHOT was 3668, and 3017 were analysed (Figs 1 and 2) for this Annual Report (others were incomplete or withdrawn).
The total number of reports made to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was 1110, of which 764 were serious adverse events (errors in 97.8%) and 346 were serious adverse reactions. The proportion of SHOT reports where errors were the underlying cause was similar to 2013; 77.8% (2346 reports). Acute transfusion reactions (allergic/febrile) were the most common pathological reactions. The cumulative data (18 years) can be viewed on the website (www.shotuk.org).
There were 10 ABO-incompatible red cell transfusions, all due to clinical errors resulting in one patient requiring renal dialysis, but no deaths.
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