3.7 Risk management and strategic planning
'Our work on the draft National Blood Supply Contingency Plan has further strengthened our relationships with key stakeholders and ensured that blood issues are integrated with the broader health sector emergency planning arrangements.'
National Blood Supply Contingency Plan
Under the National Blood Authority Act 2003, the National Blood Authority is responsible for ensuring that Australians have an adequate, safe, secure and affordable blood supply. This includes having contingency and risk mitigation measures in place to ensure continuity of the supply of blood and blood-related products and services.
The Jurisdictional Blood Committee agreed to develop a plan that would equip the National Blood Authority and its key stakeholders with a framework to enable a rapid national response in the event of a threat affecting the provision of a safe and adequate blood supply in Australia.
A clear objective of drafting a National Blood Supply Contingency Plan was to integrate and connect risk mitigation strategies with broader health sector crisis management structures.
It was also envisaged that the plan would:
- improve awareness and ensure appropriate planning is in place for dealing with the impact of blood crises in the health sector
- create and communicate a national awareness of blood and blood-related products
- provide the framework for the making of national decisions on appropriate responses during a supply and demand crisis through clear communication and the provision of relevant information and data.
Extensive consultation with the signatories to the National Blood Agreement, the Australian Health Protection Committee, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, suppliers and the clinical community has resulted in a draft plan with clear trigger points and decision-making processes that is scheduled for completion in December 2007. The National Blood Authority recognises and acknowledges the contribution of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service to the development of this framework.
Other risk and contingency activities
In 2006–07 the National Blood Authority actively worked with the Office of Health Protection, a unit in the Department of Health and Ageing, and other bodies on a range of issues concerning risk assessment and crisis management. These are key elements of the National Blood Authority's goal to ensure that blood and blood-related products are considered as part of the broader health sector contingency arrangements.
Key elements of this work are as follows:
- The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Advisory Committee tasked the National Blood Authority with the development of a contingency plan for blood supply in the event of a case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Australia. Substantial research indicated that issues posed by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies for the blood sector were also applicable to other blood contaminants. Subsequently, an appendix to the National Blood Supply Contingency Plan setting out a response path to be activated in the event of suspected blood contamination (including variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) was drafted. This approach has been endorsed by the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Advisory Committee, the Jurisdictional Blood Committee and the Health Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group.
- As a result of global security concerns, the security of Australia's critical infrastructure has become a major issue for industry and government. The Health Infrastructure Advisory Assurance Group is part of the Trusted Information Sharing Network, which is the primary means of communication between the Australian Government and the private sector on relevant security issues and vulnerabilities. The National Blood Authority worked towards improving recognition of the complex infrastructure required to maintain the blood supply. It participated in a range of surveys to assist in collecting data to support the development and implementation of contingency measures in relevant sectors.
- The National Blood Authority made submissions to the Office of Health Protection on measures to protect the blood supply in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza in Australia. Work will continue in 2007–08 with specific assessment and modelling of the impact on blood supply and demand of specific pandemic influenza mitigation strategies.
Business continuity planning
The National Blood Authority Business Continuity Plan was finalised in December 2006. The organisation intended to conduct staff training and a simulation exercise to test the Business Continuity Plan in March 2007. However, this was unnecessary after the National Blood Authority's premises were flooded as a result of a severe hailstorm on 27 February 2007.
The plan assisted with a rapid response to the situation. The Business Continuity Plan was reviewed in April 2007 and the practical experiences gained will be incorporated into the revised version of the plan.
Corporate Plan
The National Blood Authority developed the 2006–09 Corporate Plan in accordance with section 43 of the National Blood Authority Act 2003, which requires that the National Blood Authority must, at all times after its first year of operation, have a Corporate Plan endorsed by the Ministerial Council and approved by the Minister that sets out its current objectives and business strategies.
The 2006–09 Corporate Plan continues the National Blood Authority's pursuit of its mission, 'saving and improving Australian lives through a world-class blood supply', through four goals:
- supporting governments' blood sector policy, planning, funding and risk management
- ensuring supply of all required products through world-class supply contracts with capable suppliers
- effectively engaging with the clinical community in monitoring and improving appropriate and safe use of blood and blood-related products to improve patient outcomes
- ensuring the National Blood Authority is acknowledged as a high-performing agency.
2006–07 Operational Plan performance
The National Blood Authority has fully completed approximately 85 percent of activities detailed in the 2006–07 Operational Plan and the Statement of Intent (see page 6). These achievements are summarised in Part 1 and detailed in Part 3 of this annual report. The key activities not completed are explained below.
- Incorporating analysis of sample archiving within the Australian Red Cross Blood Service business study was seen as a more effective way to achieve improved outcomes and delayed finalisation of this project.
- The final approval and testing of the National Blood Supply Contingency Plan were delayed to ensure effective integration with broader health sector planning.
- The promotion of the EQuiP 4 blood standards in hospitals was delayed so that they could be incorporated in the broader National Blood Authority and Australian Red Cross Blood Service joint project on service level agreements. This was seen as a better way of increasing the likelihood of uptake.
- The implementation of the Integrated Data Management System was delayed as a result of disruption to the National Blood Authority's normal operations following the severe storm and to ensure that the detailed system design adequately fulfilled complex supply, contract and financial requirements.
- Despite a public tender process, the National Blood Authority was unable to procure appropriate external expertise to support the finalisation of the Schedule 4 arrangements. The National Blood Authority is now negotiating a direct procurement option.
2007–08 Operational Plan
In November 2006, the National Blood Authority commenced its operational planning for 2007–08. In February 2007, an executive planning workshop considered draft business plans developed by each section, as well as other stakeholder input. Key priorities and actions, which aligned with the 2006–09 Corporate Plan, were agreed. The National Blood Authority Board provided feedback and input on priorities before endorsing the plan.
The planning identified five themes to guide the work of the National Blood Authority in 2007–08:
- improving integration with the health sector
- improving the quality, scope and consistency of data
- building more effective relationships with external stakeholders
- driving internal efficiencies
- enhancing internal communication and governance arrangements.