Now blood donor sessions axed over fears of Brexit transport gridlock

A tweet from Give Blood NHS - Credit: Give Blood NHS

Blood donation sessions in Kent have been cancelled before and after Brexit amid fears the local transport system will grind to a halt.

NHS Blood and Transport (NHSBT) said that sessions in Dover and Folkestone had been cancelled in the two weeks before March 29 and the six weeks afterwards.

Fears have been raised in recent months other the impact on Kent of a no-deal Brexit, with the government preparing for heavy queues at ports and the Channel Tunnel if customs checks have to be re-introduced.

In a statement, NHSBT confirmed it was cancelling donation events because of the impact on staff.

It said: ‘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.’