Improving patient safety: Key insights from the Blood Matters Audit

The latest Blood Matters Audit Report (2025) reveals critical insights into how health services are performing in positive patient identification and pretransfusion checking—the final safeguard before blood administration. 

Why it matters: 
Every transfusion carries the risk of an incompatible blood product being administered due to human error.  The audit shows that while 96% of checks start at the bedside, only 17% meet all guideline requirements, including positive patient identification and pretransfusion double independent checking. This gap highlights the urgent need for consistent practice to prevent errors and protect patients. 

Key findings: 

• Policy vs practice:
  • 100% of services require identity checks, but only 71% mandate double independent checking.
• Observed compliance:
  • Just 17% of transfusions achieved full compliance with ANZSBT guidelines. 

Key conclusion from the report 

“The concept of double independent checking needs to be better understood and embedded in practice to improve patient safety and align with guidelines”  

What’s next: 

Blood Matters recommends: 
✔ Updating policies to reflect ANZSBT guidelines. 
✔ Embedding double independent checking in everyday practice. 
✔ Using checklists and education tools to close the gap. 
✔ Re-auditing regularly to measure improvement. 

Audits aren’t just about compliance—they’re about improving patient outcomes. By turning data into action, we can make transfusion safer for every patient. 

• Read the Full Report
• Check out BloodSafe eLearning Australia’s double independent checking video here Double Independent Checking on Vimeo
• Want to know how your organisation performs and you’re not part of Blood Matters?  Lifeblood’s Audit Tool has an observation audit available here: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Audit Tool.