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What's new about NATA?

As observant readers may have noticed, earlier this year the NATA (Network for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis) logo appeared on the front of Transfusion Medicine. The close relationship between British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS) and NATA is now cemented by the sharing of an official journal and it is entirely appropriate that an organisation which was historically regarded as ‘alternative’ is now much more integrated into mainstream transfusion issues and is helping push forward the patient blood management agenda. BBTS and NATA have much in common. Two past presidents of BBTS have been members of NATA’s board of directors. Professor Marcela Contreras recently stepped down from the board having been a member since NATA’s inception (2000–2011) and this year I stepped down as NATA chair after a 3-year period of office. I consider as one of my most effective tasks during that period, the successful approach of BBTS and NATA to adopt Transfusion Medicine as its official journal. Beyond the overlap of membership, the major clinical policy priorities of NATA and those of the wider transfusion community have converged. The recently-launched Patient Blood Management (PBM) programme within the UK follows the development of a long-standing theme within blood transfusion practice, whereby the patient is considered as a whole and assessed on clinical grounds, regarding the need for transfusion of allogeneic components. ‘Oh, but this has always been the case’ I hear everyone reply. However, is this true? Many clinicians will decide to transfuse red cells or platelets according to a numerical value. Of course, the numerical value of haemoglobin concentration, for instance, will give an indication if there is a need to consider red cell transfusion, but the haemoglobin concentration, in itself, is not the only reason to transfuse. The prudent use of blood products has an influence on bloodstocks and allows these to be used in emergency situations where other therapies cannot be implemented quickly enough or in those patients for whom blood transfusion is the only option. Despite the effort that has gone into the training for ordering