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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 5

Ceisteanna – Questions. Priority Questions. - Blood Transfusion Service Board.

Deirdre Clune

Ceist:

7 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 40 consultants in the Munster region have made a submission asking that the Blood Transfusion Service Board reconsider its decision for a single site testing plan and to agree a continuation of testing in Cork; and his views in this regard. [22799/99]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

157 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 40 consultants in the Munster region have made a submission asking that the Blood Transfusion Service Board reconsider its decision for a single site testing plan and to agree a continuation of testing in Cork; and his views in this regard. [23033/99]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 157 together.

Responsibility for the organisation and administration of the national blood transfusion service rests with the Blood Transfusion Service Board. The background to this matter is as follows.

In May 1995 a strategy to consolidate donor testing to a single location was recommended to the board of the BTSB following a major consultancy exercise undertaken by Bain Consultants. The Government at that time agreed to fund this exercise in order to improve the management and organisation of the BTSB. In May 1995 the board unanimously adopted the recommendations in the report. A significant number of these recommendations has been implemented, involving substantial investment in equipment and premises, a new IT system and new scientific and technical posts. The report recognised that the current IT system was a barrier to implementation of single site testing. In this regard a new IT system will be operational shortly as a result of an investment of approximately £4 million.

In February 1998 the BTSB decided that PCR testing should be introduced to further improve blood safety. In line with international experience, the board decided that PCR testing at both centres could not be justified and that it would, therefore, be introduced at its new national headquarters. This will involve testing blood samples from all donations in the country in the national headquarters. In light of this decision and other anticipated developments in transfusion medicine, the board requested the chief executive officer and the national medical director to assess whether all serological testing, not just PCR testing, should be centralised. A report to the board by external consultants in April 1998 on the review of the Cork facility also recommended that the centralisation of testing activities should be kept under constant review.

As requested by the board, the chief executive officer and the national medical director undertook a detailed examination to assess whether all serological testing should be centralised. Their report strongly recommended the development of single site testing. This recommendation was unanimously adopted by the board which is satisfied from its own experience and from the experience of international transfusion centres that it can meet on time and without fail the blood component needs of hospitals nationally from a single testing site. The board authorised the executive to proceed with the detailed planning for single site testing. The board has committed itself to consultation with blood users in the Munster region in order to address their concerns.

I am aware that a group of health care providers in Munster prepared the report referred to by the Deputies. The group presented it to the board of the BTSB at its meeting in Cork on 13 October last. I understand that the board considered the report in detail at its meeting yesterday and that the chairperson of the BTSB will be responding to the group shortly.

Is the Minister aware that, during the recent strike, blood platelet supplies in Dublin ran short and could not be provided by the BTSB? Is he also aware that 70 pools of platelets for use in heart bypass operations and the treatment of leukaemia, especially for children, were supplied by the Cork unit? Will he accept that this incident demonstrates the need to maintain a back-up, complete service in Cork to ensure that if there are difficulties with the new BTSB unit in Dublin the provision of blood and blood products can be made up by a full and comprehensive service, including a testing service, continuing to operate in Cork? This unit would normally service the Munster region but would also be available as a fallback in the event of difficulties with the Dublin service.

Experience shows not as the Deputy suggests but that testing is improved by having one centralised testing centre. It is not suggested that the Munster centre will no longer operate. Under the BTSB proposals being considered, based on consultants' reports, the Munster centre will continue to have a role in the provision of blood supplies. The Deputy would not suggest that the distance between Letterkenny General Hospital, for example, and Dublin and Cork militates against a proper blood supply. Clearly that is not the case. As a result of problems in the past, the BTSB has sought independent consultants' advice to provide for a modernisation of the service. The Munster centre will not be obliterated in that process but will continue to have a role.

Will the Minister accept that changes such as these should be made once the issue of a consistency of blood supply is sorted out? Surely he is concerned by the fact that, as a result of his mishandling of the nurses dispute, there were pickets outside the BTSB resulting in a shortage of blood supplies. This is not the first time we have had such a shortage. Does the Mini ster accept he has a responsibility to ensure that blood supplies are maintained and secured into the future before changes are made regarding testing centres?

The political composition of a Government does not determine the level of blood supply. The BTSB depends on the voluntary donation of blood by the public. The role of any Minister or Government is to ensure that the public continues to have confidence in the BTSB and continues to provide the levels of donations required to ensure security of supply. This issue has nothing to do with the number of testing centres. That is a different issue. As a result of a public appeal by the BTSB, there was full co-operation from all concerned, including nurses. From time to time the BTSB makes public appeals requesting donations because of an anticipated demand in days or weeks ahead. That has been a common feature of the operations of the BTSB.

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