MY LIFE
JOSIE JACKSON LABORATORY TESTING MANAGER
B
ristol testing manager Josie Jackson has seen many changes during her 25 years with the National Blood Service. "It used to be all test tubes and pipettes!" she says. Thanks to advances in science and technology most of the testing is now automated, although the human touch is still vital. Josie’s team of laboratory scientists must test over 1,000 donations each day to make sure they’re safe to be issued to hospitals. And the pressure’s on because blood platelets have a short shelf life, so speed is vital. That means the team have to be organised to work shifts – from 8am until midnight. Says Josie, "Because platelets only have a five day shelf life, it’s a race against time to get all the tests through before two o’clock the day after the donations are taken. With a minimum of 13 tests to complete on every donation before it can be labelled and sent off to hospitals, every day is a challenge! Getting as many donations out to hospitals as we do is a real achievement, and a credit to everyone who’s involved."
Three samples Testing starts while the actual donations are being processed. The three samples taken from each donation at session are whisked off to be checked: one for blood grouping, one for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C antibodies, while the third is sent to our labs in Birmingham where it’s tested for HTLV and the hepatitis C virus.
Getting results Automated and semi-automated equipment test the 1,000 plus donations that arrive every day at the Bristol laboratories. Our blood grouping machines can perform tests on 240 samples an hour. New donors’ blood samples are tested twice and the results compared. Regular donors’ samples are tested once and the results checked against those from their previous donations. A system of bar codes matches test results to samples, using a laser reader similar to that at supermarket checkouts.
Put to the test! Josie Jackson heads a team of 22 at the Bristol laboratories, where blood from the South and South West of England is tested before it is sent to hospitals. She describes a typical day Josie starts every day with a visit to the labs so she can check there have been no problems during the late shift, such as a piece of machinery breaking down. She says, "Because Bristol also tests donations from the Oxford and Plymouth areas we have to be extra careful that things don’t go wrong. But, having two of every machine means we always have a back-up should something go wrong." Josie regularly meets her Oxford and Plymouth colleagues. Today they are discussing a modification to a test that detects naturallyoccurring antibodies in blood. Vulnerable patients, for example new born babies, should only receive components that have low levels of antibodies, so this meeting is really important for improving patient safety. "Also, whenever a new test is introduced it can affect the other blood centres, so I need to discuss it with my colleagues. Nothing stands
still - we have to keep improving, introducing new equipment and tests, so that we can maintain the highest possible levels of safety, accuracy and efficiency. "
Emergency planning After lunch, Josie rushes off to a meeting on emergency planning. As emergency planning manager for the centre, Josie has to be prepared for the unexpected happening. "If there were a power cut we would have to be sure that the back-up generator is working. I would need to liaise with staff from other departments who make up our local emergency team. It would be my job to make sure the problem didn’t affect our service, and that ultimately patients still got the blood they needed." Another meeting, then Josie’s back at her desk to
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catch up on paperwork. "With 22 staff to manage, there’s always something to do! At the moment I have one member of staff going for their state registration oral exam, known as a viva. This is an essential qualification for any member of staff working in these labs so it's vital that I make sure they get the appropriate study leave from work." Josie makes one last visit round the labs, then heads home. Above: Josie (centre) with colleagues at the laboratory. Below: Unwinding after work with some dressmaking
SPRING 2005 THE DONOR
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