The first year of this new century has seen the need for an increase in the Foundation's services throughout the world, due to the reduced availability of blood for transfusions and its declining quality. These growing difficulties highlight even further the need for companies to take particular care when protecting their expatriate staff and families, as well as those travelling on company business. Individuals working or travelling abroad on holiday are equally at risk.

In the year 2001, the Charity celebrated its tenth anniversary. Ten years ago, it would have been considered impossible to deliver blood to an individual in an emergency, anywhere in the world. Even today, the Foundation is probably the only organisation dedicated to the provision of reliable emergency blood transfusion cover for expatriates and travellers. This service has been achieved largely thanks to the active and practical support received from the blood authorities in four major countries. This in turn has enabled the Foundation to work closely with and support a number of medical assistance companies and, since its registration as a Charity in 1991, to have been instrumental in saving many lives.

A typical example of the increasing awareness of the vital role played by the Foundation was the request to establish a temporary blood bank in East Africa, to protect a 300 strong film crew whilst on location for three months. The logistics of this operation were formidable. Blood banking equipment had to be purchased and then commissioned on site, regular supplies of blood imported and the highest standards of quality maintained throughout all aspects of the whole exercise.

It is frequently assumed the delivery of blood simply involves collecting a few units of blood, putting them in a bag and taking this on an aircraft to the patient. In fact, some of the requirements to provide blood internationally are:

Anything less than full compliance with these procedures risks the quality of blood supplied being compromised.

It was noted during 2001 one insurance company, which undertakes in its policy to do its best to provide blood for its members, failed to access and deliver the blood required, which resulted in the death of its member. Quite apart from the negative press publicity engendered by this failure, this case demonstrated the danger of relying on a vague promise to help in an emergency, when set against the reassurance provided by the reliable specialist service offered by the Foundation.

The Trustees continued to expand the services of the Foundation by concluding an Agreement to open a blood bank in Hong Kong, to meet the needs of members in this part of Asia. As Rhesus Negative blood is rare amongst local nationals, this Agreement will be of particular value to Rhesus Negative expatriates and travellers when the bank becomes operational in 2002.

Since the provision of basic resuscitation fluids and sterile transfusion equipment cannot be assured in many countries, the Trustees continued the development of their network of Corporate Regional Supply Points (CRSPs). At the end of 2001, there were 117 different locations in 69 countries holding these supplies, the majority of which were located on member's own sites, to maximise their ease of access.

The Trustees decided during the year to offer all Corporate members protection against rabies, an inevitably fatal disease. As time is of the utmost importance if the disease is to be prevented following a bite or lick from a rabid animal, every Corporate member will now benefit from this additional service.

With the steadily increasing complexity and sophistication of transfusion medicine, the year has seen a growing number of calls for clinical advice from the treating doctors of members requiring emergency transfusions. The value of this aspect of membership cannot be over-emphasised. It not only helps to ensure the member receives the best possible treatment prior to evacuation but has, in several cases, saved Corporate members the very expensive costs associated with the evacuation of their employee by air ambulance.

The year 2001 saw a major development in the Foundation's membership programme with the appointment of Medical Advisory Systems (MAS), in Owings, Maryland, as the Charity's representative in North America. MAS, which is an organisation of some 100 doctors, specialises in providing a global telemedicine service. BCF already has its own web-site (www.bloodcare.org.uk). MAS plans to build a second one (http://bloodcare.mas1.com), to complement the existing BCF web-site by enabling individual travellers to join the Blood Care Programme on-line.

The financial cost of running the Foundation is considerable and increases each year as its global operations expand. In addition, the Charity's income was again adversely affected during the year by the continuing trend in the market for the acquisitions and mergers of companies, some of which were BCP members. In one instance, two BCP Corporate members were taken over by a third company, thus reducing the Charity's income. Despite these setbacks, the Foundation's gross income increased in 2001 by 6.4% and expenditure by 5.4%, when compared to the year 2000, enabling the year to end with a modest surplus.

As part of its cost containment activities, the Foundation moved its UK office from Crawley to Horsham in West Sussex, which achieved a reduction in rental costs and offers scope for future expansion when required.

The Trustees held a Strategy Meeting during the year to review the first 10 years of the Foundation's work and to identify its priorities for the future. This highlighted the need to increase further the number of Corporate Stand-by members, which, in turn, will raise the profile of the Foundation and help to extend the strength of its global services.

Since its registration in 1991, the Foundation has:

- seen the processing costs of the blood it sources for its satellite blood banks rise by 60%

- increased the number of its blood banks from two to five

- introduced and is currently maintaining 117 Regional Supply Points in 69 countries

- seen its insurance premiums rise by 20%

To help meet these costs, the Trustees introduced a new fee structure this year, which is also designed to enable small organisations to benefit from the advantages of Stand-by membership.

None of the achievements of 2001 could have been realised without the selfless devotion of my fellow Trustees and the outstanding loyalty of the Foundation's advisors and staff. It was therefore with particular regret the Foundation accepted the resignation as Trustees of Dr Anthony J. Haines OBE and Mr David E. Watson at its Annual General Meeting in 2001. Both gentlemen had served the Charity since its formation. The outstanding contribution made through their guidance and wise counsel has proved invaluable over the years and will be greatly missed.

It was with great pleasure the Trustees welcomed the acceptance by Dr Jane N. Zuckerman of their invitation to join them as a Trustee of the Foundation. Amongst her many appointments, Dr Zuckerman is the Director of the Academic Centre for Travel Medecine and Vaccines at the Royal Free and University College Hospital in London and also the Medical Director of the Royal Free Travel Health Centre. Her deep concern and understanding of the medical problems faced by expatriates and travellers will be particularly beneficial to the Foundation and its members as we continue to provide the Foundation's life-saving service throughout 2002.

Michael G. Bruce
Chairman of the Trustees