Provision of emergency use red blood cells to Ambulance Victoria

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.

A letter from Ambulance Victoria with further details was sent to regional and rural health services.

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. Additionally, there is no anticipated change in frequency of blood component transfusion because of this formalised procedure.

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 your 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.