JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee
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23.6: Component labels

23.6.1: General description

These labels are for use on blood collection packs and/or satellite packs. Each label will display a component description printed in bold text, a Codabar barcode and additional information. All information is printed in black on a white background. These labels may be pre-printed or produced using a demand-printed system where the information is transferred electronically from a host system.

23.6.2: Label dimensions

Label dimensions are defined below:

55 mm ±1 mm wide × 55 mm +1/–3 mm deep

(range 54–56 mm wide × 52–56 mm deep)

23.6.3: Label specification

The label must meet the following specifications:

  • The barcode height must be no less than 10 mm with a 2 mm quiet zone each side of it.
     
  • The barcode must have the eye-readable code textually displayed to accompany the barcode.
     
  • The textual component description must be in bold characters and be exactly as is registered in the UK portfolio.
     
  • Use of abbreviations must be authorised by the Standing Advisory Committee on Blood Components (SACBC) or JPAC groups.
     
  • A UK JPAC agreed instruction statement must be included.
     
  • The volume of the component must be textually displayed on the label as either the exact or as a nominal volume in millilitres (mL).
     
  • Any storage or special instructions for storage must be included.
     
  • The recipe for any included anticoagulant or additive must be indicated on the label in textual form.
     
  • Where the component is part of a split component, the split should be identified as Pack 1, Pack 2 etc. textually on the label.
     
  • If the component has a reference number (i.e. CT number), it should be included on the label in textual form with or without version number as a suffix.

Figure 23.7 shows an example of a component label layout.

23.6.4: Component barcodes

All components have an individual barcode. The barcode comprises three main elements:

  • a start code ‘a0’
     
  • a five-character code to uniquely denote the component
     
  • a stop code ‘3b’.

23.6.5: Component code reference table

The current component code reference table is held and managed by SACIT. The table includes:

  • the text defining the component. Where possible this text is the same as that defined in Chapter 7 of these guidelines
     
  • the start code for the component
     
  • the code for the component, e.g. 04260
     
  • the stop code for the component.

Figure 23.7 Example of a component label layout

23.6.6: Allocation of new component codes

In the event of a UK Blood Establishment requiring a code for a component that will be issued on a regular basis, the following steps must be carried out:

  • A request form for a new component code, including a component being trialled, must be completed and sent to SACBC. This committee will determine if the component is a ‘new’ component or if it is covered by an existing component registration. If it is a new component it will be reviewed by SACBC members and if agreed, the product will be accepted.
     
  • SACBC will authorise the component to be part of the UK component portfolio and it will then be numbered with a new unused Codabar component code.
Last updated 19/02/2014