NHS Reforms - what they mean
for you
Dr Ron Singer, retired GP from Edmonton, North London explains
in simple language what the government's health reforms mean for
patients and NHS staff. With over 30 years experience working in
the NHS, Ron Singer speaks on behalf of many doctors who have
serious concerns over the proposed privatisation of the NHS. Ron
Singer leads the Medical Practitioners' Union, a professional
section of Unite the Union and he sits on the general practice
committee BMA.
Stop the privatisation of our NHS Blood and Transplant Service
For generations, the British people have willingly given their
blood to help save the lives of others. What started as a vital way
to support troops injured during the second world war is now one of
the biggest voluntary services in this country. The service is
older than the NHS itself. People give freely because they believe
in helping their fellow man. It is service for the common good and
that proud ethos has never been diluted. Until now.
Now there are serious concerns that the government is
considering the introduction of the private sector into NHS Blood
and Transplant service (16 February 2011). To do so would be a huge
error and to fundamentally change the relationship between the
service and its donors. People give blood as a ‘gift’ to their
fellow human beings – not for money, or for a profit made by a
company, but because it’s a humanitarian act of kindness and
generosity. Many give because a member of their own family has
had their life saved by the gift of blood from a stranger. It is an
act of selflessness – but we now need stand together to defend
this.
Our blood is not for sale
When Health
Secretary Andrew Lansley took office last year he begun a review
into the blood service in order to “commission an in-depth review
of opportunities to make more [it] commercially effective”.
Since then, his department has held talks with private providers
about running parts of NHS Blood and Transplant service. It is
understood that Capita and DHL are among the interested
bidders.
But where will this stop? Is the Government wanting to
open the door to companies to make profit from people donating life
saving blood to others?
At the moment this is an idea being considered by the
Department of Health – but unless people show they don’t want this
the government will press ahead with their reckless
plans.
A public service to be proud of
The NHS
Blood and Transplant Service is a success story. Its specialist
nurses collect blood from volunteer donors and then the service
ensures it reaches the patients that need it. Donors help save the
lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. Cancer
patients, accident victims and women giving birth who develop
complications.
It also co-ordinates the 24-hour organ matching and allocation
service which arranges our much needed organ transplant
service.
And it is not the case that the NHSBT is ‘ineffective’ or
‘inefficient’. Their last annual report showed the service: “met
more than 99.9% of all product requests” and they have “implemented
efficiencies which helped to reduce the cost of a unit of red cells
from £140 to £130” – this is a fall in cost of over 7%.
The NHSBT had undertaken in increasing the number of organ
donations the total number of organ transplants carried out in the
period April 2009 to March 2010 was the highest ever seen.
FACT - The private sector will deter
donations
A recent study in New Zealand3 found that
donors were less likely to give if profits were introduced into the
service.
Even a small drop in the number of donors would have a
disastrous impact on the service.
Voluntary unpaid donors account for 100% of blood supplies in 58
countries, including Britain.
Where blood is donated for free by volunteers it is an
altruistic gift; Unite firmly believes that no private company
should then be able to profit from this humanitarian act.
Please help keep our blood service uncontaminated by the profit
motive.
Please make sure that this policy is consigned to the
dustbin.
Please help reassure the millions of donors up and down the
country that the service they cherish is safe.
What you can do to help
Sign the petition
- http://action.unitetheunion.com/page/s/BloodMoney Tell
your MP that you do not want private companies profiting from our
Blood service.