The Blood Stocks Management Scheme (BSMS) has been developed as a result of the success of the National Blood Stocks Project. Established in 1997, the project was a collaborative venture between the National Blood Service and the hospital sector, in order to understand and achieve improvements in blood stock management.

The project consisted of three phases that involved 12 NBS centres and over 40 hospitals. A substantial quantity of data and information was generated relating to blood stock management and wastage across the National Health Service.

It also delivered significant insights into the current practice and processes governing the management of the blood supply and have demonstrated the potential for promoting change through a process of peer review.

Staff in hospital transfusion laboratories around the country made a significant contribution to the success of the project through their willingness to provide information relating to their own working practice.

The success of the project laid the foundation for the implementation of the BSMS. This will provide an opportunity for all hospitals and NBS centres to collaborate in the quest to deliver improvements in the way blood resources are managed.