Health - Blood service haemorrhages
WORKERS, JAN 2007 ISSUE
The continuing separation of the NHS Blood Service from the NHS continues. The NHS Blood and Transplant Service is to close seven out of ten regional centres, leaving only Bristol, Manchester and London.
The North East and the Midlands will be dependent on a motorway supply line. Some 700 jobs are at risk, including highly skilled scientific, clinical and technical workers. The job cuts are planned over the next four years.
The two core unions – Unison and Amicus, supported by the RCN, GMB and TGWU – are preparing indicative ballots for strike action to defend jobs.