UNISON welcomes blood transport backtrack but warns against bill

UNISON today, 18 October 2011, welcomed plans to keep the NHS Blood Transport Service (NHSBT) a public body, as a result of a commercial review in the service. The UK's largest union had launched a massive fight-back against government plans to privatise any part of the blood service.

The Government had planned to open up the NHSBT service to private companies, with DHL and Capita in the frame. The union warned that breaking up an integrated blood service would lead to disaster. It is also wrong for private companies to profit from blood given freely by the public.  

The union will continue to campaign against privatisation plans in the Government's Health Bill.  It will lead to competition, not co-operation, divert Taxpayers' money into shareholder profits for private companies and push NHS patients to the back of the queue.

Simon Newell, UNISON South West's Head of Health, said:

"The backtrack on plans to privatise parts of the NHSBT is good news for patients. It is also a victory for common sense, as it makes no sense to break up and privatise a successful and integrated service such as blood. 

"Hundreds of thousands of donors regularly give up their blood to help save lives for free, untainted by the profit motive. Many people would have walked away from giving blood for free if they believed that private companies are making money out of it - putting lives at risk. 

"The public backed our call to keep the NHSBT from falling into the hands of profiteers, as they know it could only end in disaster. We will continue to work together with management  to help make the organisation even more efficient.

"It was crunch time for the blood service - it is still crunch time for the NHS. We will continue to campaign against the Health Bill, which is putting the NHS at huge risk and is being rushed through without the scrutiny the public wants and deserves." 

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

NHSBT collects blood for England and North Wales. It however deals with organ donation and transplantation for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It employs around 6500 people in a very complex and busy service.

The blood service has about a weeks supply of blood in stock at any one time (about 50, 000 units of blood) so any dip in numbers donating would potentially be devastating and exceedingly dangerous to the whole NHS.

For further information contact:

Simon Newell, UNISON South West Regional Head of Health c/o 01823 285336

Issued 18 October 2011