There have been moves afoot by the Usual Suspects, "business friendly" New Labour apparatchiki and private sector infiltrators, to nobble the the National Blood Service (NBS). Their initial plan involved cutting the number of blood testing laboratories from 13 to three, and getting rid of 600 staff members. This managerial butchery is called "reconfiguration", a term which doesn't suggest debilitating the service to the point of ineffectiveness. Neither does "reform" mean privatisation, except in the mealy mouths of politicians.
The 13 NBS centres dotted about the country from Newcastle to Bristol were to be replaced by three, in Manchester, Bristol, and Colindale in North London. With less staff and fewer testing sites the service would no doubt become unable to cope with the workload, and the cry would go up, "Inefficient! Privatise!"
However, though the butchers acted with great stealth, the NBS staff became aware of what was afoot, and began to organise to save their livelihoods and their contribution to the public wellbeing. They began to inform interested parties and resistance grew. Some councils, on hearing of the proposals expressed their opposition. Demonstrators showed up to voice opposition when the plotters met. The Industrial Workers of the World ("more than just a union")printed and distributed tens of thousands of leaflets informing the public of the proposed cuts.
This has finally resulted in a partial withdrawal by the plotters, but there are still going to be cuts if they get their way. At present they appear to be less drastic than originally planned, but the plotters will no doubt be back in the future. They, and their frontman, Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for the Health Service, should be made aware that NO cuts are acceptable.
"It hasn't happened yet - so it can be stopped", wrote one NBS technician. "What is needed is a huge response from the public (including donors and health workers), pressure from outside ... It will shock the arrogant board of directors - let them feel the panic for their own jobs that they have inflicted on us ... Solidarity from outside will hit home to staff and prove that the people of this country care about and value them and the service they provide. We can win this campaign and I believe that my lifesaving workmates deserve the support in their time of weakness. Many hands make light work."

The Secretary of State for Health can be contacted at -
Alan Johnson MP
House of Commons
Westminster
London
SW1A 0AA
or by email - johnson@parliament.uk

The Chief Executive of the NBS is at -
Chief Executive
National Blood Service
Oak House
Read's Crescent
Watford
Herts.
WD24 4PH