New Centre to Monitor the Pulse of Australia’s Blood Supply
A new surveillance centre to monitor Australia’s billion-dollar national blood supply has been opened in Canberra
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18 March 2013
A new surveillance centre to monitor Australia’s billion-dollar national blood supply was opened in Canberra today by Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King.
Staff in the new national Blood Systems Operations Centre will manage computer systems used by the nation’s hospitals 24 hours a day.
These include BloodNet, which processes orders for almost 2 million units of blood and blood products a year.
“The new Blood Systems Operation Centre will enable the National Blood Authority to monitor, in real time, the operations of the entire national blood supply chain”, Ms King said.
“Their officers will be able to manage the entire system and, if needed, they will intervene to ensure that blood and blood products reach those in need.
“In times of blood shortages, the centre may activate the National Blood Supply Contingency Plan.
“Under this, the centre could operate 24 hours per day in conjunction with the National Incident Room of the Department of Health and Ageing to directly manage the national blood supply.
“Together, they would coordinate activities of blood product suppliers and hospitals to ensure the safe and secure supply of blood,” Ms King said.
Funded by the Australian and state and territory governments the National Blood Authority is responsible for providing an adequate, safe, secure and affordable supply of blood products for all Australians.
“In 2011-12, more than a billion dollars was spent by governments to ensure the nation’s blood supply and this need is steadily growing,” Ms King said.
For more information, please contact the Parliamentary Secretary's Office on (02) 6277 4230
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