Wrexham Maelor Staff Raise Concerns Over Lack Of Cover During Protests

A member of staff at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has raised concerns that patients were put at risk by a lack of cover during yesterday’s public sector strikes after they were left to walk to the other side of the hospital to collect blood for an urgent transfusion.

The staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, was working in theatre yesterday and called the path lab for blood to be delivered.

However, they were informed that workers who usually transport blood were on strike and that they would have to walk to the other side of the hospital to collect it, leaving a sterile area in the process.

They told us: “We called for an urgent blood transfusion in theatre but were told that staff who usually deliver blood were on strike and we would need to walk from one side of the hospital to the other to collect it.

“Not only did it take longer, but this also meant leaving the lab and becoming desterilised. In this instance everything was okay, but in another instance it could have put the patient in danger.”

A spokesperson for the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board said: “We are not aware of any such situation caused by yesterday’s strikes. We were in regular contact with the hospital several times during the day to ensure services were delivered as normal and no concerns were raised about the delivery of blood which should have taken place as normal.”