Echo blood test campaign gets huge support

9:30am Thursday 20th December 2012 in Southend

THE Echo campaign to keep blood testing services in local hospitals is gaining huge momentum.


We began an online vote to gauge whether readers supported plans to send GP pathology samples on an 88-mile trip from Southend and Basildon to be processed in Harlow and then tested in Bedford.


Readers taking part so far have show they are overwhelmingly against the move, with 1,855 voting in favour of keeping the tests local and just 59 against.


Under the scheme tests which currently come back as quickly as one-hour could take days.
As well as taking part in our online vote, readers have taken to our website to voice their disapproval about the move.


Saisho said: “To dismantle the Pathology service will be like ripping the heart out of Southend and Basildon Hospitals. The Path labs are vital and other hospital services such as A&E and ITU could be seriously undermined.
“The whole idea is ludicrous, especially as the local Pathology labs have recently undergone major upgrades of equipment and have state-of-the-art analysers and an IT system that works!”


Heartbeat said: “This "idea" sure as hell isn't for the benefit of the inhabitants of South Essex!
“Whatever happened to "green" anyway? I thought we were all being urged to cut down use of cars so just on that point alone how is this supposed to stand up, with vans or whatever constantly trundling back and forth to Harlow and Bedford.

 

Comments(9)

Norman westcliff says...
10:38am Thu 20 Dec 12

Who in there right mind would think that to send blood tests by van 88 miles to be tested is a good idea, we are told over and over again to use public transport to cut down traffic on the roads and now we want to put more vehicle on the road. I have to regularly have my blood tested as I take walferin and this must be tested in a certain time from when its taken otherwise its no good and I need the result a.s.a.p so my dose can be adjusted so this is very important.
Norman Petts Westcliff.

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Shoebury_Cyclist says...
10:52am Thu 20 Dec 12

Unfortunately public opinion probably won't make much difference.

The Conservatives desperately want the NHS privatised so their personal business interests can profit from that privatisation. Consequently they are going to force through any changes they can - no matter how unpopular - to speed up that privatisation.

We've recently seen it with Southend's Royal Mail delivery offices being closed - in the face of massive public opposition - ready for privatisation, the same will happen with Southend's blood analysis services.

If you want these outrageous carve-ups of our public services to stop, then stop voting Conservative.

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Ian P says...
12:27pm Thu 20 Dec 12

Half an inch of snow caused gridlock throughout the area a couple of weeks ago. This fact alone demonstrates how unrealistic this stupid idea is.

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Pounder says...
1:17pm Thu 20 Dec 12

The rights and wrongs of this aside should a newspaper be involved in a campaign? So we can be assured that anything on this issue we read in the Echo from now on will be filtered through to make sure that stories which are only spun in favour of the 'side' of the debate the paper supports will appear? What ever happened to just reporting the news rather than campaigning on it?

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leslog says...
7:07pm Thu 20 Dec 12

absolutely, not this is not improving standards but going backwards ,awaiting the results over a longer period is a backward step in healthcare for the patient, you cannot save money ,just for the sake of it ,the NHS now is too slow in many arrears ,as an outpatient awaiting results for xrays and scans before you get actual treatment ,if you are an NHS patient you have to wait longer than a private patient yet still could get the same consultant to do the requirment

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jolllyboy says...
10:12pm Thu 20 Dec 12

No good unless everyone writes, e-mails and complains to everyone - i have and you know I can moan.

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healthlottery says...
3:03pm Sun 23 Dec 12

Shocking but true : http://www.hsj.co.uk
/news/-east-of-engla
nd-pathology-shake-u
p-announced/5052857.
article

I say everyone needs too complain about this.

The whole thing is so bias, corrupt, and fixed its untrue.

Southend and Basildon out of the 16 or 18 hospitals in the East of England havent got no work at all, so effectively they have spent millions on deciding to close two labs down, ridiculous.


All hubs have all gone to the midlands, yet the biggest populations exist in Essex.

Dr husslebee it seems in the article has clearly invested interest, he is being paid to damage the testing service in this area.

I notice/read It was tried years ago even sending samples to wales, but that failed miserably. There seems to be alot of invested interest and corruptness involved in the strategic operations when you look at the backgrounds of people on the board and those initially who set the board up.

We cant less this happen.
What a mess,

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healthlottery says...
3:13pm Sun 23 Dec 12

i fear for those that depend on testing, i know people that rely on testing and results required asap,i fear for my dad who has been diagnosed with cancer and looks like his samples will be sent to bedford.

Everyone complain to the CCG, your GP's your MP's.

This is not improving service.

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healthlottery says...
3:50am Sun 30 Dec 12

This makes very interesting reading !!!!!!

http://www.guardian.
co.uk/society/2012/s
ep/30/pathology-labs
-takeover-failures

The failures of serco - private partner to bedfordshire who's taking all the Essex work.,

even more interesting; Lord Carter him self, (Lord Carter pathology Reforms) is now the head of a private health company and chairman of CCP (competition panel) :

http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/news/article-
2109907/NHS-fairness
-tsar-urged-quit-doc
tors-conflict-follow
ing-799-000-payment-
U-S-private-health-g
iant.html#ixzz27mUrX
wgR

Very fishy indeed, conflict of interests others might say !! Being paid privately yet awarding nhs contracts !! hmmmmm.,

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