Jack Copland Centre official opening
Our new state of the art national centre for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) was officially opened ahead of the NHS's 70th birthday tomorrow, 5 July 2018.
Our new state of the art national centre for The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) was officially opened ahead of the NHS’s 70th birthday tomorrow, 5 July 2018. The Jack Copland Centre (JCC) is named after the founder of the first Scottish blood transfusion service in 1930 and is based in Heriot Watt Research Park in Edinburgh.
HRH The Earl of Wessex was in attendance to officially open SNBTS’s new headquarters and met several blood donors who, like the NHS, are turning 70 this year. Graham Biggerstaff, John Glyde, Donald MacKenzie, Margaret Gordon, Thomas Notley, Jeanette Pllu and Wilma Whyte have each given blood at least 70 times and have helped save and improve the lives of hundreds of patients.
HRH The Earl of Wessex meeting blood donors.
HRH and Jeane Freeman MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, toured the cutting edge facility which was purpose built for the processing, testing and manufacturing of blood, donor tissues and cells. They met several of the 300 members of staff including laboratory researchers, expert clinical staff and the donor services team.
During the opening event, HRH met with Skye Edwards, mum Gemma and dad Craig. As a newborn baby, Skye needed blood and platelets as part of her treatment.
HRH meeting Skye Edwards
HRH also met Howard Copland, the grandson of Jack Copland. Howard’s grandfather brought together the first panel of blood donors, and ran Scotland’s first blood transfusion service from his dental surgery at Gilmore Place, Edinburgh. HRH heard how Howard’s father John as a teenager used to answer calls for blood that came in late at night, and then drive to collect a donor and take them to hospital.
During the afternoon of the opening event, staff who work at our new state of the art centre were invited to bring their families to tour the building and enjoy the sunshine.
Mary Morgan, Director of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service said:
"The Royal opening of our new building by HRH the Earl of Wessex, marks an historic milestone for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) and indeed the NHS in Scotland. Not only is this the new home for the service headquarters, the Jack Copland Centre (JCC) delivers a modern blood supply service to patients and gives us the ability to be at the forefront of developments in technology and advanced therapies in years to come.
"The centre has been several years in development and I would like to thank our staff for ensuring services were maintained and continued throughout this project, and for the considerable work in its successful delivery. We have created a vibrant and modern environment for our valued staff to work in and we are proud to play a role in improving Scotland's health."