Anaemia
The Workstream
Anaemia management encompasses the three strategic aims of the NHS Wales owned Blood Health Plan:
- Supporting individuals to manage their health and wellbeing, avoiding unnecessary intervention
- Use evidence and data to inform planning, improve practice and reduce variability
- Place safety and quality at the core of care reducing inappropriate use and supporting innovation
The anaemia workstream recognises that anaemia management is the first pillar of the globally recognised concept of patient blood management. With many subcategories of patients requiring specific anaemia support, the workstream has focused their initial work on Pre-operative optimisation.
The anaemia workstream has been identified as a key workstream for the Blood Health National Oversight Group (BHNOG) and is led by Dr Caroline Evans, Consultant Anaesthetist at the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board (C&V UHB).
If you are interested in finding out more about the workstream, or would like to get involved, please contact WBS.BloodHeathTeam@wales.nhs.uk
Perioperative Anaemia Programme
Focused on surgical care, this programme supports patients through two nationally developed anaemia pathways in Wales:
• The National Preoperative Anaemia Pathway, standardised across NHS Health Boards, enables early identification and treatment of anaemia in patients undergoing major elective surgery.
• Building on the strong foundations of the Preoperative Anaemia Pathway, the Postoperative Anaemia Pathway provides structured anaemia management for emergency surgical patients who are unable to be optimised preoperatively.
