SIR, - I WISH TO RESPOND TO THE INTEMPERATE and UNHELPFUL REMARKS ABOUT THE BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE BOARD By DR DECLAN MURPHY, PRESIDENT OF THE IRISH COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS (THE IRISH TIMES, SEPTEMBER 6TH).DR MURPHY STATES THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE BTSB "RELATE LARGELY TO EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE NEW REGIME", YET GOES ON TO STATE THAT "THE BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE BOARD SHOULD BE DISBANDED"! AS I EXPLAINED SOME MONTHS AGO, THE BTSB IS NOT LIKE A SWEETIE SHOP. ONE CANNOT CLOSE THE SERVICE AND OPEN AGAIN SOME TIME LATER UNDER A NEW MANAGEMENT.FROM WHERE DOES DR MURPHY EXPECT THE BTSB TO RECRUIT 350 NEW, FULLY-TRAINED MEMBERS OF STAFF, MEDICAL, TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE - OR IS IS JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF HE WANTS REPLACED? HOW WILL PATIENTS MANAGE WITHOUT BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS DURING THE PERIOD WHEN THE BTSB HAS BEEN DISBANDED UNTIL THE NEW SERVICE IS FULLY OPERATIONAL? AS DR MURPHY WELL KNOWS, THE BTSB IS REQUIRED TO SUPPLY OVER 3,000 UNITS OF BLOOD, PLATELETS AND PLASMA PER WEEK TO SERVICE THE NEEDS OF IRISH PATIENTS. THE CONTINUED SUPPLY OF THESE PRODUCTS REQUIRES EXPERIENCED ADMINISTRATIVE AS WELL AS TECHNICAL STAFF.AS DR MURPHY IS WELL AWARE, THE BTSB WILL BE MOVING TO NEW, PURPOSE-BUILT PREMISES ON THE SITE OF ST JAMES'S HOSPITAL IN 1998. IN THE MEANTIME, I CAN ASSURE HIM THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL AND MEDICAL STAFF ARE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD, UNDER VERY TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES, TO MAKE SURE THAT IRISH PATIENTS ARE PROVIDED WITH A CONTINUAL SUPPLY OF SAFE BLOOD PRODUCTS.THE BTSB HAS HAD IT'S "SINS" WIDELY AIRED IN THE PRINT MEDIA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. IF DR MURPHY HAS CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE TO THE BOARD, HE SHOULD DO SO IN A QUIET AND CONFIDENTIAL MANNER AND I CAN ASSURE HIM THAT HE WILL BE WELL RECEIVED. PUBLIC OUTBURSTS CALLING FOR THE BTSB TO BE DISBANDED ARE NEITHER HELPFUL TO THE BOARD NOR, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE RECIPIENTS OF ITS PRODUCTS. A FURTHER FALL IN CONFIDENCE IN THE BTSB, WHICH OFTEN FOLLOWS SUCH STATEMENTS, SERVES ONLY TO REDUCE THE SUPPLIES OF BLOOD, THEREBY PUTTING PATIENTS' LIVES AT RISK. - YOURS, ETC.,CONSULTANT HAEMATOLOGIST, ST JAMES'S HOSPITAL, DUBLIN 8.