Blood
Meeting
Councillor Mick Ireson chaired the
meeting.
A public meeting was held in April for
blood donors and concerned citizens
to air their worries over the closing of
the Griffith Blood Bank . Topic of
discussion at the meeting was the
closure of the Griffith Blood Bank
centre and replacement with a mobile
service. Lack of community
consultation and little notice of the
closure has left donors feeling angry
and left out.
Donors were sent a letter dated the
9th April which, according to some at
the meeting, was not received until
14th April, with information that the
Blood bank would be closing on the
17th, leaving donors with a feeling
that such short notice was not good
enough.
Sources from the Red Cross Blood
Bank claim that the lease is up on
their accommodations at the Griffith
Base hospital, which have become
inadequate, and would cost too much
to bring up to standard health and
safety regulations.
It is Ken and Bev Wilson's
understanding that the "Mobile
service will not start in Griffith until
June. The mobile service will only be
in Griffith two days every six weeks
for a total of about twelve hours." said
Ken. For donors who need to give
blood for medical reason ie
hemochromatosis (too much iron in
the blood) the closure means a long
trip to Wagga if the mobile service is
not in Griffith at a time when they
need it.
Phyllis Jones. For twenty years
Phyllis and Neville Jones have
supported the Blood Run from Hay to
Griffith .
Hay has around 50 blood donors who
have travelled to Griffith every three
months for many years, sometimes by
car but most times by bus.
After much discussion on what should
be done, the meeting decided to send
a letter to the Red Cross Blood
Service asking that the decision be
reversed. A petition has also been
signed and donors and concerned
citizens are encouraged to contact the
Australian Red Cross Blood Service
by phone or email to lodge their
complaints.
CEO Australian Red Cross Blood
Service is Ms Jennifer Williams
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: (03) 9863 1600
Or ring 13 14 95 and lodge a verbal
complaint which will be recorded.
Ruth Headon signing the petition
which will be sent to the Blood Bank
in protest of the closure of the Griffith
facility. Penny Bolitho, Charlotte
Lowe, Serena Wall waiting to sign
and Bev Wilson. Bev and Ken Wilson
organised the meeting.
"If you can," said Bev, "Contact your
politicians, the media and anyone
else you can think of to make a
noise."
Joy Shea was one of many who
signed the petition.
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