Are nurses able to prescribe or supply blood or blood products on the NHS?
Blood, including the cellular elements that are packaged for use as “packed cells” and platelets, is not considered to be a medicinal product and is therefore outside the ambit of the Medicines Act and its subsequent amending Regulations. The “prescribing” of blood for a patient is not therefore appropriate for nurse independent prescribing or for supply under the terms of a Patient Group Direction (PGD). Nurses should discuss the current local policy regarding ordering of these products with their Trust’s haematology department. Consideration could be given to developing local guidelines for the ordering and supply of blood, based on the format of a PGD. However, products derived from the plasma component of blood such as blood clotting factors, antibodies and albumin are considered to be medicinal products and are required to have marketing authorisations. These products may be prescribed by nurses under a supplementary prescribing arrangement , provided they are included in the nece
“packed cells” and platelets, is not considered to be a medicinal product and is therefore outside the ambit of the Medicines Act and its subsequent amending Regulations. The “prescribing” of blood for a patient is not therefore appropriate for independent nurse prescribing or for supply under the terms of a Patient Group Direction. Nurses should discuss the current local policy regarding ordering of these products with their Trust’s haematology department. Consideration could be given to developing local guidelines for the ordering and supply of blood, based on the format of a PGD.
