NHS blood staff vote on strike (From Witney Gazette)

NHS blood staff vote on strike

PATIENTS who need blood in Oxfordshire's hospitals over Christmas could be hit if technicians and scientists strike over alleged plans to close most of the NHS's 14 blood centres.

Public sector union Amicus is balloting members working for the blood service over proposals to close centres, including the one at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.

The union claims the plans are being implemented without consultation and will lead to job losses among skilled workers.

A consultative ballot, held among several hundred workers, which showed 81 per cent of Amicus members working in the blood service were in favour of industrial action.

A postal ballot is to be held, and industrial action could follow over Christmas.

Regional officer Owen Granfield said: "This is a wake-up call to management, who need to sit down with Amicus and talk about the future of the blood service."

Staff involved in the dispute process and test blood donated across England and Wales.

Amicus claims the plans would lead to the closure of centres including Oxford, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Southampton and London.

Louise Coxon, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Contrary to claims, we're not planning to close 14 centres.

"We have made it clear that we will be investing heavily in modernising how we process and test blood, and we plan to consolidate these functions into three centres.

"All services that need to remain close to patients will do so, and it's irresponsible to suggest otherwise.

"Hospitals are now paying £70m a year more for blood than they were a few years ago. We need to become more efficient to allow this money to be spent on frontline care."