To encourage the optimal use of blood components across Europe through sharing of information and best practice.

This project shares best practice on training in optimal use of blood components by developing and sharing a toolkit that can be used by a partnership of staff in blood establishments, hospital blood banks and hospital's therapeutic departments, for the benefit of patients.

This project will start the development of a European quality management system for the therapeutic use of blood components. Such a pan-European project would not be possible without European Commission co-funding.

Optimal use erquires that blood components are used safely, effectively and efficiently. Optimal use will provide the following benefits:

• Improve the safety for the donor through reducing the unnecessary bleeding of donors
• Improve safety for the patient through improving the transfusion process and reducing the unnecessary transfusion of blood
• Improve the effectiveness of health services by allowing scare blood components to be used in the most therapeutically beneficial way for patients
• Improve the efficiency of health services by reducing inefficient use of resources