In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis stated how surgeons were competitive and would be worried if they had excessive blood use compared to a colleague and so the use of feedback figures was an effective strategy for reducing blood use. Read more about In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis stated how surgeons were competitive and would be worried if they had excessive blood use compared to a colleague and so the use of feedback figures was an effective strategy for reducing blood use.
In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis highlighted that the time when the clinician first developed a practice around the use of blood which became routine for them was an important factor in whether or not unnecessary use of blood was a feature of their clinical practice. Read more about In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis highlighted that the time when the clinician first developed a practice around the use of blood which became routine for them was an important factor in whether or not unnecessary use of blood was a feature of their clinical practice.
Dr Wallis told the Inquiry that all haematologists read the British Journal of Haematology, but only some would read Transfusion Medicine. His impression was that regional colleagues "were pretty good on picking up on guidelines that were published." Read more about Dr Wallis told the Inquiry that all haematologists read the British Journal of Haematology, but only some would read Transfusion Medicine. His impression was that regional colleagues "were pretty good on picking up on guidelines that were published."
In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis talked about how clinicians tended to read material relevant to their own area of medicine Read more about In his oral evidence, Dr Wallis talked about how clinicians tended to read material relevant to their own area of medicine
The onus was on individual clinicians to keep themselves up to to date with the latest medical knowledge; this was characterised by Professor Philip Steer as a "reactive rather than proactive arrangement" Read more about The onus was on individual clinicians to keep themselves up to to date with the latest medical knowledge; this was characterised by Professor Philip Steer as a "reactive rather than proactive arrangement"
Dr Morris McClelland confirmed in his oral evidence that in Northern Ireland there was an Advisory Committee on Blood Safety Read more about Dr Morris McClelland confirmed in his oral evidence that in Northern Ireland there was an Advisory Committee on Blood Safety
Dr Jack Gillion, in his oral evidence to the Inquiry, noted that there was "virtually nothing" in the way of guidelines about the use of transfusion in the early 1980s. Read more about Dr Jack Gillion, in his oral evidence to the Inquiry, noted that there was "virtually nothing" in the way of guidelines about the use of transfusion in the early 1980s.
In her oral evidence to the Inquiry Dr Lorna Williamson noted the existence of a maximum blood ordering schedule in the 1990s, which Dr Williamson believed to be routine in hospitals at that time. Read more about In her oral evidence to the Inquiry Dr Lorna Williamson noted the existence of a maximum blood ordering schedule in the 1990s, which Dr Williamson believed to be routine in hospitals at that time.
Dr George Galea, the director of Inverness and North of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service, recalled teaching medical students about the risks of transfusions and that "the safest blood is the blood that's not given." Read more about Dr George Galea, the director of Inverness and North of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service, recalled teaching medical students about the risks of transfusions and that "the safest blood is the blood that's not given."
Professor Dame Marcela Contreras confirmed that she saw from observation of what she described as a miracle for some babies who received fresh war blood, that it might indeed have some intra-operative advantages, though she did not express a concluded view. Read more about Professor Dame Marcela Contreras confirmed that she saw from observation of what she described as a miracle for some babies who received fresh war blood, that it might indeed have some intra-operative advantages, though she did not express a concluded view.