Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Ben Curran

That this Council:

 

(a)       acknowledges plans are being considered to shut the blood supply chain manufacturing facility on Longley Lane, along with a facility in Newcastle;

 

(b)       acknowledges the plans would see these two facilities in Sheffield and Newcastle relocated and merged into a single facility in Manchester;

 

(c)        acknowledges that the single site in Manchester would provide services to the whole of the North West, North East and Yorkshire regions of the country;

 

(d)       expresses concern that this could potentially put 60 jobs in Sheffield at risk;

 

(e)       expresses concern about a single location in Manchester being a base to cover the whole of the North West, North East and Yorkshire regions, because:

 

(i)         this is a physically large geography;

 

(ii)        travel disruption often occurs between Manchester and Sheffield, as well as in other areas, during periods of bad weather;

 

(iii)       the strategy fails to make it clear where blood stores would be located outside of the manufacturing centre in Manchester; and

  

(iv)       it is unclear how the operation of the service under these proposals would cope with a major incident;

 

(f)        therefore, believes that more work needs to be done before these proposals are put into place, and that scrutiny of these proposals is necessary to ensure that any changes are both workable and effective; and

 

(g)       directs that a copy of this motion be forwarded to all Sheffield MPs, the Secretary of State for Health, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and the Chair of the Health Select Committee, with a request for the matter to be considered by the relevant Select Committee.

Minutes:

 

Blood Supply

 

 

 

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Ben Curran, seconded by Councillor Garry Weatherall, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)        acknowledges plans are being considered to shut the blood supply chain manufacturing facility on Longley Lane, along with a facility in Newcastle;

 

(b)        acknowledges the plans would see these two facilities in Sheffield and Newcastle relocated and merged into a single facility in Manchester;

 

(c)         acknowledges that the single site in Manchester would provide services to the whole of the North West, North East and Yorkshire regions of the country;

 

(d)        expresses concern that this could potentially put 60 jobs in Sheffield at risk;

 

(e)        expresses concern about a single location in Manchester being a base to cover the whole of the North West, North East and Yorkshire regions, because:

 

(i)         this is a physically large geography;

 

(ii)         travel disruption often occurs between Manchester and Sheffield, as well as in other areas, during periods of bad weather;

 

(iii)        the strategy fails to make it clear where blood stores would be located outside of the manufacturing centre in Manchester; and

  

(iv)        it is unclear how the operation of the service under these proposals would cope with a major incident;

 

(f)         therefore, believes that more work needs to be done before these proposals are put into place, and that scrutiny of these proposals is necessary to ensure that any changes are both workable and effective; and

 

(g)        directs that a copy of this motion be forwarded to all Sheffield MPs, the Secretary of State for Health, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and the Chair of the Health Select Committee, with a request for the matter to be considered by the relevant Select Committee.