- Australia has one of the safest blood supply systems in the world.
- You can donate whole blood every 12 weeks.
- O negative blood is universal and can be given to anyone.
- Plasma and platelet donations can be made every 2 weeks.
- Every whole blood donation can save 3 lives.
- 1 in 3 people will need blood. Only 1 in 30 gives blood.
- Australia needs over 27,000 blood donations every week.
- 470mL of blood is collected when you give whole blood.
- Within 24-48 hours of giving blood, your blood volume is completely restored.
- Giving blood only takes about an hour.
- Plasma donations can be used to make 17 different products.
- Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days.
- 34% of donated blood goes towards helping cancer patients.
- You can start giving blood at 16.
- The blood service has been collecting blood for over 80 years.
- Many donor centres have a courtesy bus.
- You can donate double platelets – helping twice as many people.
- Platelets have a shelf life of only 5 days.
Organisational Structure
Executive Management
Australian Red Cross Blood Service is structured on a matrix basis with a number of business units working across all parts of the organisation delivering on the core business. Each of the business units reporting to the Chief Executive is known as a division.
Chief Executive
Jennifer Williams
Executive Director, Medical, Transplant & Quality Services
Dr Joanne Pink
Executive Director, Manufacturing
Jacqui Caulfield
Executive Director, Research and Development
Dr David Irving
Executive Director, Donor Services
Janine Wilson
Executive Director, Corporate Strategy and Performance
Peter McDonald
Executive Director, Information Services
Paul Hermecz
Executive Director, Human Resources
Anne Heyes
Executive Director, Finance
John Brown
International Services Manager
Dr Sally Thomas
Transplantation Services Manager
Dr Patrick Coghlan
organisation structure
Organisation structure current at September 2011
