Who arranges your blood test?

rebel11

Rosie_Scope

At my current GP surgery they arrange it for you and it's all done on site, but with others I've been given the form and told to either drop in somewhere or make an appointment to go and have it done. 

I've been with a fair few different surgeries over the past few years and it seems to vary a lot between them all.

Hannah_Alumni

I have my pharmacy do my blood tests. Sometimes when quite unwell, she will come to my home to do them, but that does cost. 

MW123

Oncologist 

rebel11

We are given a number to ring, that number is busy or else as previously cuts you off every 5 minutes. Then my surgery is telling me to go that surgery to book it in person, total garbage.  

I've complained, then my surgery were told to sort it out.

But the surgery got their own back at me, when I went to collect something they kept me waiting intentionally. The Practice Manager called over another admin to talk to her for about 10 minutes. 

It's a bit of a strange surgery, their recorded message actually tells you to 'call 999 if you are unconscious', they clearly know something the world doesn't.   

Rosie_Scope

That's awful @rebel11, doesn't sound like a good process at all. But I have to say that last line made me giggle. I will be sure to call myself an ambulance when I'm next unconscious.

Is your surgery the only one in your area or do you think there's somewhere else you could switch to? Or is it mostly just the admins and bloods process that aren't so good?

rebel11

I've been there a very long time, but I'm not sure 'patient care' is there No.1 priority. It seems to be 'can we make things easy for ourselves' then go in that direction. They did 'blood tests' for a month, some years ago. If they were 'patient' caring surgery, they would have carried on doing it.  

rebel11

If you became 'unconscious' in the surgery they would just stand there and hand you the phone so you could dial 999. Outrageous. 

I'm thinking outside of the box, a plastic tube from my house to the test lab, dig up all the roads in between to accommodate that, it will be cheaper then HS2, only downside is that it will only benefit me.   
 

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 Unless we take your idea and everywhere there is a postbox? maybe? there is a plastic tube. 

Lou67

My GP has done them when I have been unwell.
 But this past year there has been a new system in place. the GP sends details of what blood tests Im needing to the Phlebotomy dept.
 Then I ring for an appointment and go to the nearest Health Centre to get them done.

rebel11

@Hannah_Scope

If you hear in the news that a man has been arrested for dismantling a Post Box, you know where to send the 'bail' money. 

rebel11

The 'ringing' up to book your own appointment can't be right, especially with all the 'technology' out there. 

rebel11

What about 'Leech or Us', my only concern is what happens to the leeches once they have completed their single mission.      

66Mustang

Our GP surgery is completely useless as well, the only way of booking an appointment is on the phone, they won't make appointments in person or online. If you are lucky enough to be able to use the phone, you have to call at exactly 8.00am, and it takes 90 minutes to get through, by which time they inform you that all appointments are gone and to try again at 8.00am tomorrow or go to A&E if it's an emergency!

A relative drove around the M25 to the other side of London for 2 hours to get a blood test because the local GP was so useless!

rebel11

66Mustang said:

Our GP surgery is completely useless as well, the only way of booking an appointment is on the phone, they won't make appointments in person or online. If you are lucky enough to be able to use the phone, you have to call at exactly 8.00am, and it takes 90 minutes to get through, by which time they inform you that all appointments are gone and to try again at 8.00am tomorrow or go to A&E if it's an emergency!

A relative drove around the M25 to the other side of London for 2 hours to get a blood test because the local GP was so useless!

It's bad, this is such a 'basic' thing, NHS care, the surgery use to do this for you. It's going 'backwards'.
 

66Mustang

I agree @rebel11

My Dad recently needed an annual checkup as he is on certain meds and, by some miracle, managed to get the golden ticket that secured him entry into the exclusive club A.K.A. our local GP surgery. When he was in there it was entirely empty of patients except for him. No one in the waiting room, no one at reception, all consultation rooms had the doors open and all empty. This was at peak time of day as well.

When we phone up and are told all appointments are gone within minutes of the surgery opening we expected it to be jam packed and bustling, but after witnessing this, the excuse that all appointments are taken doesn't wash with us anymore, perhaps it's more like they don't create any appointments in the first place?

rebel11

66Mustang said:

I agree @rebel11

My Dad recently needed an annual checkup as he is on certain meds and, by some miracle, managed to get the golden ticket that secured him entry into the exclusive club A.K.A. our local GP surgery. When he was in there it was entirely empty of patients except for him. No one in the waiting room, no one at reception, all consultation rooms had the doors open and all empty. This was at peak time of day as well.

When we phone up and are told all appointments are gone within minutes of the surgery opening we expected it to be jam packed and bustling, but after witnessing this, the excuse that all appointments are taken doesn't wash with us anymore, perhaps it's more like they don't create any appointments in the first place?

When Covid was at it's peak, the surgery's operated by distancing patients, so things are normal as they can be, but the surgery's are operating in the same 'vain', as if they are in full blown Covid times.   
Surgery's have adapted work practices that suit them, not in the interests of patients.  

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 I have bail money?  

rebel11

Hannah_Scope said:

@rebel11 I have bail money?  

@Hannah_Scope What took you so long?, pacing up and down a 6 ft by 6ft cell is no fun and only copies of the Readers Digest to read!!

JessieJ

Thankfully, my surgery works very well across the board. For bloods, they're at the surgery with nurse or phlebotomist, after a F2F Doc puts the script in & I make the appt on the way out, if it's a call, then I have to phone to make the appt after hanging up.

If I want an appt with the Doc, I always call or drop in if I'm passing, never do that online & never phone at 8 in the morning. Mm offered a F2F or a call. I like that, as some things I don't need to actually see her, better for her, me & not needing another bod waiting in the surgery. Normally appt is within a day or 3. There are normally 5/6 waiting to see drs, nurses, phleb when you go in with a steady flow in & out. Yes, I'm very lucky!

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 Can't be having only Reader's Digest to read! Your bail was substantial... did you have to wave around a chain saw?!