Ian CrawfordRider, Secretary, Supporter

SERV Herts & Beds

BLOOD RUNNERS

WHAT’s Blood running all about?Volunteer bikers supported by

controllers providing a free out-of-hours transport service to NHS

Hospitals for blood, blood products and patient samples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7bsUttGho8

How it all began – 1960s

Fast forward to today…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WCspwrwlDU

ITV Meridian news feature on SERV

Registered Charity no: 284455

WHY are Blood runners needed?• Hospitals are only able to hold limited blood

stocks, especially rare and processed types.• Blood platelets do not keep and must be

delivered fresh.• NHS Blood Transfusion Services deliver free only

once during the normal working day.• If volume usage at night is high, the hospitals

need to replenish their stocks.• There is no night time NHS patient sample

transport service, e.g. for tissue-typing.

Blood Runner Coverage in 2014

SERV

NABB

Served by surrounding regions

No blood bike service

What kind of people are blood runners?• Like-minded volunteer bikers bonded together by a love

of riding motorcycles and the desire to put something back into our society.

• Some are retired, though many still work full time.• Men & women are represented.• Disabled riders are represented• Some riders are ex Police, Fire Service or Army• Riders are supported by Controllers & Administrators,

some non-riding.

Registered Charity no: 284455

• A full & clean motorcycle licence• A motorcycle, usually 600cc+,* adapted

to carry 1 or 2 blood boxes

• Good riding ability to RoSPA or IAM standard• Have passed a full riding assessment with

the Route Training Officer• Trained in handling of blood and blood products

What do you need to be a Bloodrunner?

What you do not need to be• A ‘Throttle Jock’ or thrill seeker. We observe all traffic laws.

We do not provide a ‘blue light’ service• Unreliability: We transport valuable donated blood and blood

products that must be delivered on time to the destination.

* (Disabled riders may use a Maxi-Scooter)

SERV Herts & Beds – Some stats• 80+ active volunteer Rider/Drivers & 12+ volunteer Controllers

• In its 5th full year of operation

• Funded entirely through public donations, sponsorship & volunteers

• Responded to 900 night & 250 day calls in 2014• 365 days per year availability.

• Blood service is active between 7pm and 6am. • Covering most Herts and Beds Hospitals.• Two hospices currently served.

• Milk service is active 9am-5pm• 12 retired volunteer riders (Known as “The Milkmen”!)

Customers of SERV Herts & Beds

• Lister Hospital - Stevenage• QE2 Hospital – Welwyn Garden City• Bedford Hospital

• Luton & Dunstable Hospital

• Milk donors in north London & Home Counties• Queen Charlotte & Chelsea Hospital Milk Bank• North London Hospitals

• Barnet Hospital• Watford Hospital

• Hospitals in Essex, Cambridge, Norfolk, Southampton (via transfers)

• Sue Ryder Hospice, Moggerhanger

• Keech Hospice, Luton

Registered Charity no: 284455

What does it mean to be “On Call”?What does it mean to be ‘On Call’?• Volunteer riders are asked to be on call at least twice per month,

and no more than twice per week.• Four Riders and one Controller are on duty each night.• Controller calls before 7pm to check Riders are fit & accept the

duty.• Riders must stay close to home & not drink any alcohol on duty

nights.• Calls come in from 7pm to 4.30am, maximum 2 per night per rider.• Riders report in to the Controller at each stage of the job.• Riders complete paperwork and obtain signatures at each stage.• Below 3oC, cars are mandated for transport of blood.• In snow, only 4x4-qualified drivers are used.

Milk runs are daytime and are organised by a Controller using a Webform

Registered Charity no: 284455

SERV Volunteers receive no expenses or remuneration and pay a £10 fee to join, however there are some costs which are met centrally:• Rider training with Police Bikesafe, £2,000 per annum in total for Herts & Beds.

• Ex-police bike insurance, maintenance & fuel used for training/assessment and promotional activities, as well as some deliveries.

• Police type Hi-Viz Blood jackets are £50 each, rider pays half.

• Mandatory blood box covers are £50 each.

• ID Passes £4 each, receipt pads £5 each.

• Safety straps (4 per rider) are £5 each.

• FlexTel service for handling calls.

• Documentation & storage services.

In addition to volunteer blood runners, SERV also needs funds

• Milk transport boxes are £100 each.

Funds raised through supermarket collections, events donations & sponsorship

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING