I wrote to NABB about setting up a NW group and this is the response:
"I have set up a meeting for people that are interested in finding out more about what is involved in starting and operating a blood bike group."
We have arranged a meeting for those people in the North West that are interested in finding out about the work of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes and what’s involved in starting a new group. The meeting will be in the form of a presentation, followed by a question & answer session. I would expect that the meeting will last around 2 hours, depending on the amount of discussion.
Please let me know if you can attend, so that we ensure we have enough seats etc. The meeting will start at 7pm, on Tuesday the 15th February 2011.
Venue details:
Workies, Poynton Workmen’s Club 142 Park Lane Poynton Stockport SK12 1RG
Perhaps those who attend this event could take some spare change (donation to the funds) and help the new courier group on its way?
I wish everyone who joins the N W branch of NABB safe and successful assignments.
How about someone creating a flyer and posting it on here, or their profile, and we all (Biker Match members) print some off and leave them at biker venues? A flyer that has contact details for all UK branches.
I have asked about Scotland and there is nothing up here at the moment. There are supposed to be two guys from Glasgow looking into it so my details have been passed on.
has anybody thought of contacting your ambulance service too ?
I've worked for the Welsh ambulance for coming up to 20 years now and have so often been requested to move bloods, notes, fluids etc all over the place. We normally use cars or did when I did that side of the planning of things but I moved to the emergency side about 15 years ago. The car drivers were voluntary but were also paid and still are. If the service can get away with not paying then I'm damned sure that they would use you providing the checks are conducted properly. I've never known us to use bike riders but no harm in trying.
Anybody also thought of volunteering in other ways ? Since my accident I've noticed major issues with the health service and social services. In particular socilal services. I've been non weightbearing now for 3 months but my care was stopped after 6 weeks. I'm lucky in the fact that my determination to get back on my feet eventually has forced me to get on with life and do what i can for myself cos I live on my own, but how many biking or other accident people are in the same situation and cant manage everything? I'm not talking about personal care here but things outside for example - putting bins out, cleaning after a dog, grass cutting etc - I can get outside now cos I've had to hire another wheelchair, 1 for out and 1 for in plus a gutter frame for upstairs. Why do we pay our national insurance ???? If you know of anybody in this position, then why not call by them and see if you can help. I can guarantee that your help would be greatly appreciated by people and they'll never forget you for it.
Thank you for your enquiry regarding volunteer bikers and the transport of blood in
Scotland.
SNBTS has
received similar enquiries and requests to provide a volunteer
transport service in the past. After careful consideration, we have to
decline offers to provide such a service. There are two main areas that
have led us to this decision.
The first is our obligation to meet the regulatory requirements of the UK Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 (BSQR).
These set legally
binding standards for quality and safety in the distribution of human
blood components. We are regulated on these regulations by the Medicines
and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and are subject to regular audits.
There is a specific requirement within the BSQR
that blood and blood components should be transported by a secure
system using transit containers,
packing materials and procedures that have been validated for the
purpose. Our transport containers are fully validated for transport
within a vehicle, where they are protected from the elements and the
extremes of temperature. The insulated and temperature-controlled
areas in our vehicles are fully mapped and validated on an annual basis
and audited by our external regulator. If containers are carried by
non-SNBTS
personnel, they must be security sealed and cannot be opened and
decanted prior to receipt at the hospital
laboratory. We appreciate that your proposal probably includes
transport within panniers or top boxes, but at approximately 0.35m cubed the boxes are unlikely to fit, nor be protected from the extremes of weather and temperature. We could breach our
regulatory obligations if distribution were by motorbike. In fact SNBTS did use a motorbike for deliveries in the past, but ceased due to these very issues.
The second is our obligation to meet the regulatory requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA)
1974. Section 3 of the Act
imposes a duty on every employer ‘to ensure, as far as reasonably
practicable, that persons not in their employment (volunteers), who may
be affected by their undertaking, are not exposed to risks to their
health or safety’.
We
recognise that any routine delivery can be upgraded to an emergency
during the journey, and our drivers are contactable by the despatch team
to enable this to be communicated. Emergency delivery carries an
additional risk to our driver and other road users. To meet our HSWA obligation for professional drivers employed within SNBTS,
we have a comprehensive selection and training programme.
This includes a pre-selection criterion that requires drivers to have a
clean license pre-employment, a driver’s medical examination and
thorough interview process. Once employed there is a lengthy training
programme that includes an advanced drivers course,
skidpan training and finally two-week ‘blue-light’ training, currently
delivered by the
Police
Driving School. Drivers are then assessed on the road by an SNBTS
trainer who ensures that they meet requirements before commencing
deliveries. This assessment is an ongoing process
to enable us to demonstrate compliance with all regulatory
requirements. We could not provide this level of training nor the
associated compliance discipline for non-employees.
You may be aware that
volunteer motorcycle delivery organisations are used by hospitals in
England.
In Scotland, SNBTS provide a free delivery service to hospitals in
Scotland, 24 hours every day of the year, and our customers are satisfied with the service. In
England however, there is a charge for all deliveries by NHS Blood and Transplant to hospitals. It is this charge that creates the demand for free ‘out of hours’ delivery.
Thank
you again for taking the time to contact us with your proposal and
offer of support. It is very much appreciated and I am sorry we cannot
progress it any further.
Kind regards,
Mags Dunleavy
Senior Public Affairs Officer
Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
i have looked in to becoming one of the riders
not a chance
you have to be an reconized advanced rider with a creddited company and then you would be put on the waiting list
That's a shame Big Clive,
Points are also a concern, as they are a charity.
I passed the advanced ticket, approached them, but was told....
"Unfortunately 9 points would be a definite no with our insurer. If you reach the point where you have 6 points within the past 5 years then it may be OK depending on what the points were for and on who are are using to insure us at the time. Previous insurers have been even more strict and the restriction was 3 points. "
Which is fair enough I guess..... my own silly fault - just have to hang on for a while
Still, I'll get there eventually!
Rob
![Services by Emergency Rider Volunteers (3) - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
![Services by Emergency Rider Volunteers (3) - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
