Blood Management Standard

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) developed the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards to drive the implementation and use of safety and quality systems and to improve the quality of health service provision in Australia.

Health services using blood and blood products are assessed against the Blood Management Standard by accrediting agencies approved by the Commission.

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, as well as ensuring that any blood components and blood products that patients receive are safe and appropriate.

To help prepare for accreditation assessment the Commission provides many resources such as:

user guides
accreditation workbooks
advisories
fact sheets.

Of particular interest are:

factsheet 12, which covers the assessment framework
short notice assessment information
using PICMoRS for quality improvement and assessment preparation.

The Blood Management Standard has 3 criterion and 10 actions. Further information about the Blood Management Standard can be found at Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Blood Management Standard.

Reviewed 30 April 2025