NHS halts all blood donations at Dover and Folkestone for eight weeks due to lorry gridlock fears

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Sophie Williams29 January 2019

NHS Blood donation sessions have been cancelled in Dover and Folkestone for eight weeks over fears stocks could be ruined in traffic jams caused by Brexit.

Donations will be cancelled for a two week period before and a six week period after Britain’s exit from the EU, NHS Give Blood said.

The blood service announced the move on Tuesday after donors reported having their appointments cancelled.

In a statement on social, media it said: “We have taken the decision to cancel blood donation sessions in Dover and Folkestone for a 2 week period before and a 6 week period after Britain’s exit from the EU.

“This is because in the event of issues in Calais and other freight ports, this could lead to significant traffic in Kent and may prevent donation teams from reaching or leaving venues in the area.

“We will hold replacement sessions at other locations and we will still be in a position to provide the necessary blood to hospitals.”

Labour's Virendra Sharma, a Best for Britain supporter, said: "It is an absolute disgrace that the Government's no-deal contingency planning is interrupting life-saving blood donations.

"The Government's reckless behaviour could cost lives.

"The Prime Minister must put a stop to this madness and rule out a disastrous no-deal immediately."

However, later on Tuesday, Sky reported that a Department of Health source told it the blood donations would continue in contrast to the previous announcement.

Last year, a report warned that chaos at British ports is a “real prospect” if the UK crashes out of the European Union without a deal.

A Commons committee said that there is a “real risk” the Department for Transport (DfT) will not be ready for a no-deal scenario.

In its report, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said the risks are “severe” and that time is running out to plan.

The committee accused DfT officials of having a “complacent” approach to Brexit preparations.

The report also criticised plans for projects such as the traffic management system on the M20 to ease problems at ports on the South Coast.

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