The collection part of the programme must not interfere with the hospitals guidelines with regard to labour attendance. King’s College Hospital, other collection sites and Anthony Nolan have agreed to collaborate in the terms of a HTA compliant 3rd party agreement.
Trained staff members are in-situ to coordinate all the logistical aspects of education, consent, inclusion, collection and transport. They also attend to the feedback sessions between the collection centres and the bank (Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre).
Full informed consent is obtained from expectant mothers in accordance with the Human Tissue Act 2004, the Human Tissue Regulations 2007 and the HTA’s Code of Practice. Collection is performed after birth, while the placenta is either still in the uterus, in-utero, or after delivery, ex-utero. In-utero collections are performed by a healthcare professional trained in the collection procedure. Specific procedures are in place to avoid interference between cord blood collection and routine practices of labour attendance.
ISBT 128 Cord blood bank barcode labels (unique identifier) are used at collection for linkage and identification of records, cord, placental tissue and associates blood samples. Each donor/component is assigned a unique identifier. It also serves as a lot number to identify the material during all steps from collection to distribution and utilisation (and possibly disposal if nonconforming). It’s also used to link the donor to all tests, records, grafts and other material, and for tracking purposes, to the recipient.
The cord bloods are transiently stored at the collection site under secure and controlled conditions. This is until a 3rd party provider couriers them (under controlled conditions) to the Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre in Nottingham.
Records retained by us include identification, clinical evaluation of the donor, verification of the conditions under which the material was procured. These indicate dates and the identities of staff involved in each significant step of the operation (for example, records of transport and delivery).