Safety fears thwart blood donors

The National Blood Service (NBS) session at the Sycamore Close old people's housing complex at Bainbridge, near Hawes, North Yorkshire, on Tuesday was called off after nurses said that it would contravene health and safety rules.

The service was unable to park its lorry directly outside because of other traffic and then refused to move furniture from the room booked for the session.

The manager of the complex moved the chairs and tables, but the nurses then would not carry in equipment because vulnerable elderly people, including wheelchair users, were going to and from lunch in the restaurant.

The session was finally cancelled because smokers were allowed through an area which nurses regarded as clinical.

Earlier this year, a session at Sycamore Close was abandoned when heavy rain led to fears that flooding might prevent nurses from leaving Bainbridge.

The latest cancellation comes as national blood stocks totalled less than 40,000 units, just above the minimum needed.

Donor sessions were moved to Bainbridge from Askrigg last year because of health and safety concerns.

Meriel Overton, chairman of the local blood donors' committee, said: "They come to our committee meetings and tell us each time how badly they need blood and how low the stocks are. We have nearly 200 donors, about half of which donate each time. One man was due to receive his award for having donated 50 pints of blood."

Miss Overton feared that donors would now be put off attending sessions, which have been held in the dale for more than 50 years.

Penny Richardson, northern regional manager for the NBS, said Sycamore Close was assessed in November last year, but issues, which were not apparent, came to light on Tuesday.

"We apologise to donors and we intend to visit Sycamore Close to see if we can find a solution to those issues," she said.

The NBS team had tried to find a temporary alternate venue on Tuesday, but nowhere suitable could be identified, she added.