National Blood Service

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Jim Dobbin

Tuesday 15th March 2011 Westminster Hall

[Jim Dobbin]

Everything should be up for review at the present time. I am quite sure that the National Blood Service is considering that matter as part of its review.

Donors give their services absolutely free to the national health service. The Department of Health funds the production of all the organisation’s services within its factories, processing centres and laboratories. The system has a record of sound financial control, of which the NHS should be proud. I was in the service when cleaning services were compulsorily tendered out to the private sector. If my memory is correct, that resulted in a reduction in the quality of service. We saw wards cleaned less frequently and an increase in hospital infections such as clostridium difficile, E. coli 0157 and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We have all seen the publicity that such infections have received. Privatisation would introduce an element of cost cutting in order to increase profit. Shortcuts, reduced training and a reduction in quality are all strong possibilities.

The public who donate their services for free will be discouraged from taking part if the profit motive is introduced. The demand for blood from those who have serious health conditions will not diminish, but the supply of donors is in danger of being reduced.

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. As I understand it, the National Blood Service is allowed to use the blue flashing light to transport blood to the most serious cases. Is it not the case that if the service were privatised, the private sector companies would transport the blood but would not be able to use the blue-light service because it is restricted at the moment?

[Jim Dobbin]

If that were the case, it would make it much more dangerous for those patients who were waiting to receive that blood or organ. I would not like to see that happening.

The National Blood Service has created a strategy for each of its departments as it strives to improve its service and, looking at the review in great detail, in my view, it is succeeding. It is aware of the current economic situation and the constraints that it is working within over the next few years. It is planning more developments in future years. The question that has to be asked is why sell off something that is working so well. I understand that scientific staff have been angry about these moves. They have blasted the Government plan and demand changes to the Health and Social Care Bill, which will let private companies cash in on lucrative Government contracts.