16 December 2014
Tuesday 9th December 2014, our Chairman received a request from the Pathology Department at Royal Preston Hospital to transport an urgent blood sample to Cardiff for urgent analysis of a specialist test.
Time was critical and transporting the sample by taxi would have taken significantly longer than using a motorbike and would have incurred significant costs.
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16 November 2014
22:15 hrs on Friday evening, 14th November 2014, and the Police call for our help. There had been a large chemical incident at Royal Preston Hospital in the Path Lab and it had to close meaning that all samples, blood, etc., could not be analysed or distributed at/from the main hospital in the centre of Lancashire. All analysis of samples had to go to other hospitals, mainly the sister hospital at Chorley but further afield too.
read full story16 September 2014
Monday evening 15th September 2014, the analysis machine breaks down at Burnley General Hospital and a request from East lancashire Hospital Trust for us to help out by running a continuous service between Burnley and Royal Blackburn Hospital’s Path lab.
Our new controller, Christine, on her very first shift must have gulped and thought “What have I let myself in for?” but was reassured by her hubby Ed, himself a volunteer rider. Chris made the right phone calls and got everything sorted in no time. The duty rider accepted the task without question and another committed rider came on to help.
Considering we look after 12 hospitals in Lancashire and south Cumbria, a controller can take several calls all at once, but a steady nerve and knowing who to contact when help is required is all it takes. Sounds easy, but once initial panic has died down, it is, and there is always someone to help.
“What a fantastic group of dedicated people we have at NWBB Lancs & Lakes”, said the Chairman.
read full story10 August 2014
Saturday 9th August 2014, a call was received by our Controller, Wendy, asking for a run from Furness General Hospital to take urgent samples for analysis to the NHSBT lab near Speke airport, Liverpool, bearing in mind the distance of 114 miles, (the furthest reaches of our cover) she had a dilemma on her hands, “do I ask 2 or 3 riders to do a relay?” She asked two of the riders, John & Peter if they could do it, as it was an urgent run. They jumped at the chance (something our riders do because they are passionate about helping).
read full story06 August 2014
In the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 6th August 2014, we had to suspend our service in East Lancashire due to a horrendous downpour, which seriously affected our rider’s visibility, thereby making it dangerous for him to carry on.
In the 26 months we have been operating this was the first time we have suspended operations for something we expect in winter, but not summer.
read full story27 May 2014
Bank Holiday Monday 26th May, saw our First Triple Relay Run from Furness General Hospital to Manchester Royal Infirmary, with two packages. One for A&E and one for Clinical Sciences.
One rider rode from Furness (Barrow) to Westmoreland General Hospital, a second rider went from Westmoreland to junction 32 of the M6 (Broughton) and the third rider did the last leg. It worked like a dream and just shows what our Controllers/Dispatchers can organise when necessary. Well done all involved.
read full story09 February 2014
Sunday 9th February 2014 and we had another call from the Royal Preston Hospital to take samples to Birmingham City Hospital. Midland Freewheelers were contacted and Adrian Reed their duty coordinator arranged for a meet with their rider Mark Powis and our rider Graham Jones at Keele Services on the M6. Well done to all and a special thanks to Midland Freewheelers.
read full story31 January 2014
Last night, Thursday 3oth January 2014, our night controller, Julie, had 19 call outs from across our areas, a new night record. 2 of them being relay runs to or from Barrow-in-Furness.
I don’t suppose Julie got much sleep but that’s sometimes what’s expected of the Controllers and that’s why we appreciate the work they do. But lets not forget the riders, particularly at this time of year they have to go out in all sorts of weather and all out of the goodness of their hearts.
read full story04 January 2014
Friday 3rd January 2014 and we received a call from Royal Preston Hospital asking us to take a sample for urgent analysis to Birmingham City Hospital. Our Vice Chairman, Graham Jones, took up the run and the Chairman, Paul Brooks telephoned John Gaunt of Midland Freewheelers and asked if they could help us with a relay. “Yes” he said and so the job was on. From Royal Preston to Birmingham City Hospital 1 hour 55 minutes. Well done and a big thanks to Midland Freewheelers.
read full story20 October 2013
Sunday 20th October 2013. We received a request from Royal Preston Hospital, to take urgently required samples to Birmingham City Hospital.
We contacted Midland Freewheelers and arranged a swap over at Keele Services on the M6.
Apart from a Donor Breast Milk Relay, earlier this month this was our first Urgent blood relay. Well done to all involved.
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