Geoffrey Settle Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Does anyone know anything about the proposal to let big business profit from blood donations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Does anyone know anything about the proposal to let big business profit from blood donations just checked all the news sites and no mention of it there..... it would be an idea to boost stocks though I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 There is a petition against it here. http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/2011/03/unite-4-nhs-petition-dont-let-big-business-profit-from-blood-donations/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Looks like the Left-wing professional Anti's are foaming at the mouth - without, of course, giving any details of the plan they're opposing, or the problem they have with it. If a business were to take on the collection, processing, storage and distribution of blood - and do it to a higher standard and at a lower cost than the current bureaucratic public sector solution - then where's the problem with them making a reasonable profit at it? Or should all companies, suppliers and contractors involved in the health service be benevolent charities staffed only by unpaid volunteers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 As a blood donor would I be paid, or would the private companies make money on my good will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 I just find it immoral for anyone to profit from people giving their blood to help others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Lots of people are employed by charities - they all make money out of other people's charitable donations. Currently, lots of people are employed by the NHS Blood Transfusion Service - they don't do it for free either! Nobody is talking about paying donors or charging the NHS for blood (although every year the NHS does still pay through the nose for blood products from overseas). There are costs involved in collecting, processing, storing and distributing blood donations, costs met by the taxpayer. If a profit making company can do that at a lower cost to the taxpayer than the public sector can, then where's the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 If a private company started to make profit on my donations I would stop giving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 If a private company started to make profit on my donations I would stop giving By the same argument you should also stop giving to ANY charity (assuming that you do) because they ALL pay staff salaries and bonuses, professional fund-raisers comissions, PR companies, advertising agencies and product suppliers, as well as overseas bribes, facilitators, armed guards, fixers and any number of other profit making organisations - all out of your donation. The profit in this case is not on the blood, it's in doing the job of collecting, processing etc. which the taxpayer is currently paying the public sector to do, but doing it cheaper than the public sector are doing it. If the public sector were doing it efficiently then there'd be no scope for anyone to come in and make a profit by doing it cheaper. But if they're not, or if they won't, then they deserve to lose the business to someone who will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 What's happened to Camerons 'Big Society'? What can be more 'Big Society' than to give FREELY of our blood for those who need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 I do work for Oxfam, I do not get paid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 I agree with Inky. The Blood Service already uses private companies for transport services and this is just an extension of this. If the cost of the service can be reduced and therefore give a better, cheaper service to the NHS then that is what should be done. Typical "beggar my neighbour" attitude from LtKije. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 No what inky said was it's in doing the job of collecting, processing etc. which the taxpayer is currently paying the public sector to do What asp say's is The Blood Service already uses private companies for transport services and this is just an extension of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 I do work for Oxfam, I do not get paid Oxfam directly pays salaries to over 6000 people in 80 countries - all of whom profit from the public's charitable donations. In the UK alone, their current advertised vacancies include:- a "Head of Digital Communications" on around ?50K pa. an "Executive Assitant" on ?35K a "Public Affairs Coordinator" on ?30K a "Legacy Marketing Manager" on ?40K and any number of other posts in the same sort of salary range. (looks like the charity business is booming!) In addition, they also contract with DialogueDirect, a profit making company which employs professional doorstep fundraisers. The fundraisers are paid a salary plus a commision, the total costs are equivalent to virtually all of the first years contributions made by anyone who signs up to donate via monthly direct debit. I'm not picking on Oxfam - that's just the example you cited - all charities do this kind of thing because they recognise that by spending this money and employing experts for fundraising and other tasks they can do MORE of their charitable work than if they were a pure volunteer organisation. But at the end of the day, it's all paid for out of the cash donations that members of the public think are going straight to starving kids in Africa, or wherever. The possible privatisation of the blood transfusion service is a similar case. Employ professionals to do the job, and it might well get done better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 No what inky said was it's in doing the job of collecting, processing etc. which the taxpayer is currently paying the public sector to do What asp say's is The Blood Service already uses private companies for transport services and this is just an extension of this So currently, the taxpayer pays the public sector, the public sector employs a manager or six (plus probably a "diversity co-ordinator", a "policy and compliance co-ordinator" and half a dozen "outreach workers"), and then sub-contracts the job out to the private sector anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Oxfam relies on the public, to get money, It does not make a profit. I give blood to help people, I give it freely, It is not given as a commodity for others to make money on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 So, LtKije, you would rather the NHS spends money on an inefficient Blood Service, money it could use in other areas, just because of your dislike of anything to do with the private sector? If the private sector can provide as good a service for less money then what is your problem? After all when we donate blood we don't ask them what they're going to do with it do we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 After all when we donate blood we don't ask them what they're going to do with it do we? Do we need to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 I wouldn't have thought so, no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 How do you know it is inefficient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 How do you know it is inefficient If it's currently being run as efficiently as possible then there's no scope for private enterprise to come in and make a profit - so nothing will change. If, on the other hand, the current service is wasting my money and yours on overstaffing, inflated salaries and pension contributions, then there may well be a business which can do it cheaper and still make a profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 inflated salaries - errm, not quite in the same league as the private sector banks though! And since when has a public "service" been required to make a "profit" - it's a service not a buisiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 If, on the other hand, the current service is wasting my money and yours on overstaffing, inflated salaries and pension contributions, So you think cutting pay, and cutting pension contributions is an efficiency saving, You are just transferring the cost to the government, If you pay them less they pay less tax and get more tax credit, ie the government pay, If you take them out of the government pension, in the long run the government pay as they have to support them in old age. As they already work for the government there is no need. So thats how the private sector work cut pay and pensions as they know the government will support them as they are low paid and have know pension. I will not give my blood to a private company to make money on, I like the fact that the staff are qualified. I hope no one comes into your place of work inky and carries out one of your efficiency savings out on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 LtKije I really think you need to read up on the proposals. There are no plans to change the arrangements for the collection of blood, so you won't have to pay for your tea and biccies, and the nurses and support staff will be the same loveable vampires. What is being looked at is the transport and storage of blood and products. TNT is already used extensively in the transport part. As Inky said, if there are no savings to be had there will be no change. Typically there has been an overreaction from the usual suspects who are too busy being outraged to look at the facts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I like the idea that my blood is being stored by the blood transfusion service before it goes to save lives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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