The RCI laboratory provides a reference service for hospital blood transfusion laboratories. The services provided by the RCI laboratory are listed below.

• Provision of crossmatched blood for patients with complex antibodies.
• Investigation of red cell antibodies
• Investigation of Haemolytic Transfusion Reactions
• ABO/Rh typing, including the investigation of blood group anomalies
• Investigation of patient’s with positive Direct Antiglobulin Tests
• Investigation of Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia
• Investigation of Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus & Newborn (HDFN).
• Antenatal screening for red cell antibodies to identify at risk pregnancies (antibody quantification or titration as appropriate).
• Provision of suitable blood at delivery for at risk pregnancies
• Phenotyping of donor red cells (Ordered via the IBTS electronic ordering system)
• Clinical & scientific advice to hospital colleagues
• Extended phenotyping for transfusion dependant patients and for patients with complex red cell antibodies.
• Importation of rare blood for named patients.
• Out of hours emergency on-call service

Additional services are provided by other support laboratories including; the Blood Group Genetics Laboratory (IBTS), the Molecular Diagnostics and Red Cell Reference laboratories (NHSBT, Filton) and RCI Sheffield (NHSBT).