Ambulance Victoria paramedics will now make all requests for blood components through Adult Retrieval Victoria (ARV).
The ARV Clinical Coordinator (ARV CC) – a consultant physician – contacts the most suitable health service or transfusion laboratory to arrange for blood component pickup at an agreed time and location.
Blood Matters - provision of emergency use RBC - letter from Ambulance Victoria to regional and rural health services
docx 396.85 KB | Updated: 14 September 2023
The Ambulance Victoria procedure for emergency blood component pick up from regional and rural health services covers:
- appropriate cold chain management
- actions for unused blood components
- traceability and audit processes.
No changes have been made to the use or administration of blood components by paramedics.
Blood Matters has developed a presentation detailing the blood component packing process.
Blood Matters - presentation on supply of emergency use red blood cells to Ambulance Victoria
pdf 623.44 KB | Updated: 13 January 2025
Management of blood components by Ambulance Victoria
The location of emergency use group O red blood cells (RBC) across Victoria will be accessed by the ARV CC through secure information-sharing with the existing Blood Matters database.
Please ensure Blood Matters is kept informed of any changes to emergency group O RBC inventory holdings, including at satellite locations.
To assist health service staff, 3 resources have been developed including a flowchart, shipping configuration instructions, and a shipping label.
- Flowchart
Blood Matters and Ambulance Victoria - emergency use of red blood cell access flowchart
docx 528.18 KB | Updated: 13 January 2025
Blood Matters and Ambulance Victoria - emergency use of red blood cell access flowchart
pdf 462.76 KB | Updated: 13 January 2025
- Shipping configuration instructions
Blood Matters - R3 Lifeblood shipping configuration instructions - adapted for Ambulance Victoria
docx 138.17 KB | Updated: 29 September 2025
Blood Matters - R3 Lifeblood shipping configuration instructions - adapted for Ambulance Victoria
pdf 190.34 KB | Updated: 29 September 2025
- Shipping label
Blood Matters and Ambulance Victoria - provision of emergency use RBC shipping label
docx 92.44 KB | Updated: 26 October 2023
Accessibility disclaimer: The Department of Health is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. These document may not meet our minimum WCAG AA Accessibility standards. If you are unable to read any of the content of this page, you can contact the content owners for an Accessible version at bloodmatters@redcrossblood.org.au.
Reviewed 29 September 2025
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