Yorkshire Evening Post - 'Fears over plans to move Leeds blood centre'

Published: 25th July 2008
By Katie Baldwin
Health Reporter

Councillors have raised concerns about plans to move services from a blood processing centre in Leeds. The NHS Blood and Transplant Service (NHSBT) wants to scale down the Seacroft centre in Leeds, a move which would affect up to 70 staff.

That could mean blood processing and testing no longer took place in the city.

Leeds City Council's Health Scrutiny Board has now heard evidence from staff at the centre, NHSBT representatives and Leeds Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Board members were annoyed that councillors and Leeds PCT had not been consulted sooner and raised concerns about the impact on Leeds patients.

Scrutiny board chairman Coun Pauleen Grahame (Lab, Cross Gates and Whinmoor) said: "It is vitally important that any changes are properly thought through – after all, lives could be at stake.

"Not only that, but I am very worried about the implications of this closure for the Leeds economy and for the future of Seacroft Hospital.

"The blood treatment centre is a major employer of skilled staff, and it would be a great shame for the city if they were forced to move elsewhere to find work."

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