Press Release: Flooding at Filton Blood Testing Centre proves my point about Colindale closure

Dismore writes to NHS Blood & Transplant raising concerns over resilience after flooding at Bristol site

Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden has written to the management of NHS Blood & Transplant raising serious concerns over the resilience of their service in light of the proposed closure of testing facilities at the current Colindale site.

Following heavy flooding last week Filton blood processing centre, which processes blood for the South West and an increasingly large part of the South East was forced to close due to flooding at the centre. As a result, all blood testing was redirected to the Manchester testing centre and the soon to be closed Colindale centre. Manchester had an increased workload of 300% and Colindale double.

Only in August Andrew Dismore wrote to the management of NHSBT raising concerns over the resilience of their plans in the event of such unforeseeable circumstances such as flooding or bad weather.

 

Mr Dismore said:

“This goes to prove I was right to be concerned over the proposed change of service. The cuts being forced through blood testing pose too big a gamble. It is unclear at present whether the service maintained a similar level of service during the closure of the Filton centre. Under the plans of NHSBT, England & Wales will be left with only two blood testing centres, if one fails, the other will have to cope with a workload so huge it will be unable to cope. We are lucky that Colindale still has the expertise to step in and help. In a few months time it will be gone.

I have written to management of the service asking them to explain how the service coped under these circumstances and whether they still maintain that closing Colindale is the best course of action”

Notes:

  1. Andrew Dismore originally wrote to NHSBT on 9 August – http://www.andrewdismore.org.uk/home/2012/08/09/closure-of-colindale-blood-testing-centre-puts-lives-at-risk/
  2. Andrew Dismore is the Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet & Camden.
  3. Andrew Dismore met with management of NHSBT and members of Unite Union facing job losses in August.
  4. Andrew Dismore asked Mayor Johnson about the closure of the Colindale centre this month. You can find the question and its answer at http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=42486

 

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