Doctor unhappy with blood centre moves (From Thurrock Gazette)

Doctor unhappy with blood centre moves

7:40am Friday 1st March 2013 in News

A LEADING Thurrock GP has spoken out about proposed changes to move blood testing out of south Essex.

Nicholas Tresidder said doctors in Thurrock are sceptical about a change, due in April 2014, that will see routine blood and other pathology samples travel 88 miles to Bedford Hospital for analysis, rather than being tested at Basildon Hospital.

Dr Tresidder, who is the interim chairman of Thurrock CCG and partner at Hassen-gate Medical Centre in Stanford-le-Hope, said: “I share concerns that this should be about patients and not money.

“A large number of clinicians within Thurrock are sceptical about this being a good idea.

“However, there is a responsibility on CCGs to make best use of their scarce resources.

“The pressure to go forward with this has been very much from above.

“We are worried if we go too far down this line, there may be difficulty returning to the current service should the new service not be fit for practice or not produce the savings.

“I sincerely hope this is done properly and not hastily.”