Pickles has his say on blood site closure (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Pickles has his say on blood site closure

7:00am Monday 18th February 2013 in News

MP Eric Pickles has set out a list of requirements he would like to see put in place should a blood centre be closed.

The Brentwood and Ongar MP has voiced his concerns about the earmarked closure of the site in Crescent Drive, Brentwood, as part of proposals to centralise operations.

In March the NHS Blood and Transplant board will consider proposals to relocate the building’s donor suite and shut the stock-holding unit with blood supplies redistributed to Tooting, Colindale and Cambridge.

Mr Pickles spelt out what he would like to be considered by the board when they make a decision on the plans at their meeting on March 22.

He said: “Most important is that the supply of blood is promptly available to Queens, Basildon and Broomfield Hospitals, and I remain to be convinced there are robust plans to be able to do that.

“I also need convincing that, given the strategic nature of Brentwood, in the event of gridlock on the M25, blood could get through in a timely way.

“Finally, if the plan does go through and jobs are lost in Brentwood, I would want to see the well qualified staff should be redeployed elsewhere if they choose.”