HC Deb 16 January 1995 vol 252 cc312-4W
Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Oxford, East of November 1994, relating to the National Blood Authority's new targets for national blood stocks; what assessment she has made of the possibility of surplus blood being thrown away; and what consideration underlay the additional £10,000 allocated to the advertising budget of each blood centre.

Mr. Sackville

I replied on 12 January 1995.

Mr. Andrew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to be able to reply to a letter from the hon. Member for Oxford, East of 2 December 1994, relating to the sale of blood voluntarily donated.

Mr. Sackville

I replied on 9 January 1995.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the oral answer of the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) of 13 December 1994,Official Report, column 770, what proposals the Government have to privatised the National Blood Transfusion Service;

(2) what level of savings she expects from the establishment of the new National Blood Authority headquarters at Watford and the proposed zonal management structure;

(3) what steps she is taking to restore confidence in the public and the Blood Transfusion Service work force following the recent reductions in the level of blood donated.

Mr. Sackville

There is no intention to privatise the National Blood Service or any part of the National Blood Authority. The NBA was established to develop and manage a fully co-ordinated blood service in England.

The authority undertook a radical review of the structure and operation of the network of regional transfusion centres. The object of the review was to produce a safe, high-quality and cost-effective blood service. The proposals from the review were put out for consultation and these are now being reviewed in the light of the comments received. The NBA has announced arrangements to confirm that the comments have been taken fully into account. Savings are envisaged from implementation of the final proposals but can be precisely determined only when these emerge.

The authority has continued effectively to co-ordinate and manage the blood supply during this period. Levels of donations are generally adequate to meet demand from hospitals, which indicates public confidence in the service. Isolated and localised temporary shortages have occurred, as they always have done at various times of the year. The response of donors to appeals at these times also confirms that the service retains public confidence. The creation of a national authority has, for the first time, provided the opportunity for a planned approach to the supply of blood across the country.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give(a) the date when blood products from the United Kingdom were first exported, (b) the destination of exported blood products, (c) the description of all blood products exported, (d) the annual value of exported blood products, (e) the current level of stocks of blood compared with current targets and (f) the current method used for transporting blood products and the safeguards employed.

Mr. Sackville

The Bio Products Laboratory has been exporting surplus products since before 1986. These products have consisted largely of albumin and albumin intermediates, together with small quantities of a range of other products such as factor IX and factor XI as well as some immunoglobulin. Products are exported worldwide. BPL products are categorised as ethical pharmaceuticals and are transported in appropriate containers. The value of these exports has never exceeded £5 million in any one year.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the compliance by the National Blood Authority with(a) the relevant NHS tendering and contracting requirements and (b) its own standing financial instructions before the appointment of Bain and Co. to carry out the review of the Blood Transfusion Service; and if she will list the dates when the invitations to tender were notified in the journal of the European Community.

Mr. Sackville

We are informed by the National Blood Authority that the requirements of national health service procedures and the authority's own standing financial instructions were complied with during the tendering for management consultants. The invitations to tender were issued in May 1993 before the European Community public services directive relating to the award of public service contracts came into force.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons only blood products destined for export are tested for alanine aminotransferase; and if these products test positive for aminotransferase other cellular products from those donations are prohibited for use on United Kingdom patients.

Mr. Sackville

No blood collected by the National Blood Service or blood products produced by the Bio Products Laboratory are tested for alanine aminotransferase.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of a computer system for the National Blood Service.

Mr. Sackville

This is a matter for the National Blood Authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir Colin Walker OBE, for details.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many units of blood were transferred between blood transfusion centres in(a) 1993 and (b) 1994 in response to unexpected shortfalls in supply.

Mr. Sackville

The creation of a national authority has, for the first time, provided the opportunity for a planned approach to the supply of blood across the country. It is not possible to identify separately stock transfers between centres to alleviate temporary shortages and those undertaken as part of good stock management practice to reduce wastage. More than 2 million donations are collected each year. In 1993, there were 32,645 units transferred between centres and in 1994, 59,880 units. This reflects more effective management of blood stocks evidenced by a general reduction in wastage rates.