Just signed up with S.E.R.V

Just signed up S.E.R.V waiting on training, I'll report back after my first call out.

For those of you not sure what S.E.R.V is, you may know them more by the name blood bikes.

[Mark_h]

You doing enough hours to justify the "Police bike" or just the pizza box on the back of yours?

Is a great excuse to get some more biking miles in while doing something worthwhile. I've been involved in a bit of SERV training but many folks drop out when they realise what commitment you have to give to get the flashing blue lights to play with.

Be interested to hear how you get on.

well done , what a great cause , hope all goes well for you , be keeping my eye on this thread , and see how you get on , all the best and good luck

Spoke to the.members secretary and the secretary and both said I can use the bike but have to volunteer 3 consecutive nights which suits me fine once a month.

[mattSV]

I joined SERV Wessex just over a year ago, and really enjoy it.

However, our SERV policy (unlike Freewheelers) dictates that blues and/or twos cannot be used on the roads - they are there just for 'show' (e.g. PR events).

Might seem strange, however most runs are done overnight (or weekends) when the need to 'make progress' through heavy traffic are less pressing. Use of Blues and Twos usually requires additional training over and above 'Advanced' qualifications, and brings further challenges with insurance.

In addition, there is no dispensation to exceed speed limits or disobey traffic signals.

Still a great feeling however when you make a drop, knowing that ultimately you could be saving a life.

[Biker Biggles]

Im not sure if you can or should be showing blue lights and sirens if you dont legally have the dispensation.Maybe on of our resident plod could advise?

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Im not sure if you can or should be showing blue lights and sirens if you dont legally have the dispensation.Maybe on of our resident plod could advise?

I believe that ours are on a separate battery and/or isolated when on the move.

Basically, we operate on the basis that get caught taking the **** (speeding, ****ing off car drivers, using blues/twos) then you are very likely to be 'invited to leave the organisation'

[Messie]

I understood the the National Blood Service was fully funded to operate a 24 hour blood transportation service, complete with fully trained paid riders and drivers that could deliver blood wherever and whenever needed. I'm not sure why a volunteer, charity funded operation needs to do this.

I could be wrong though

[mattSV]

Sally - NBS provide a full service daytime M - F, and also blue light runs out of hours.

Out of hours, if a hospital needs an urgent or routine delivery made (i.e. non-emergency) SERV will provide that free of charge using fully trained riders - the other alternative is that they use taxis or couriers, which obviously is at a cost to them.

SERV are also able to provide other free services, such as the collection and delivery of breast milk - vital for pre-natal babies.

More information about SERV can be found here - SERV Essex have recently left the SERV umbrella and set up their own service, however their website seems to have disappeared...

[ChrisCurvyS]

I work for the NBS (now NHS Blood and Transplant) and I can tell you with absolute certainty that we do run a 24/7 delivery service with cars and vans (no bikes) - it doesn't have to be an emergency for us to deliver out-of-hours either.

The difference is, we make a small charge to cover our costs for the out-of-hours deliveries whereas the blood bikes don't as they're funded by members/donations, so that's why cash-strapped hospitals are increasingly using them.

It's a bit of a touchy one politically - obviously the SERV riders want to do a good thing and put in a lot of commitment, but it does make our drivers fear for their jobs and I think the unions see it as a potential slippery slope to volunteers replacing other NHS professions.

I can appreciate both sides myself and I did start signing up for NW Blood Bikes before I joined NHSBT and realised there's more to the issue than I first realised. It's a depressing thought but I suppose it's a good idea to make sure your job isn't fun/rewarding/exciting enough that people will do it for free.