Who arranges your blood test?

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?!

Albus_Scope

I usually have no issue booking a blood test online, it's booking an appointment with a GP to talk about the results that's always the problem.  If you don't win that 8am appointment lottery, you're not getting seen unless you call 111 and get referred.  Even then it's pot luck if they have all the details right. 

rebel11

Hannah_Scope said:

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

@Hannah_Scope

It's harsh punishment, Reader's Digest is part of the regime, they are 'trying to break me'. Yes, the bail would be substantial, they don't like people 'interfering' with letter boxes. No chain saw. They want names of accessory's, now whose bright idea was it, let me think, oh, it begins with 'H'.    

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 Don't drop me in it, they'll revoke your bail if I'm in there too! 

rebel11

Hannah_Scope said:

@rebel11 Don't drop me in it, they'll revoke your bail if I'm in there too! 

O.K. my silence will cost, I was going to say 'noodles', but dark chocolate and fudge and don't be snacking on it.   

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 The fudge may be snacked on a little! 

Albus_Scope

Who said fudge?!  You have my full attention.  

notnap

Due to my health condition being kidney transplant three years ago I have my blood test done every two or three months plus I regularly take my own blood pressure and weight  

Amalegra

I like to have a yearly blood test to check my cholesterol levels as high, plus all the attendant risks, run in my family and I take a small dose of Atorvastatin as a preventative measure as well as being careful with my diet. My surgery hum and har about this so I bypass them and pay for one at my local pharmacy. Easier than nagging them or me worrying and so far so good. Recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I maybe won’t have to do this for a while as blood tests may be more forthcoming! 😂

rebel11

Hannah_Scope said:

@Hannah_Scope

Shhhh, Keep the fudge under lock and key, carry out a daily audit

@Albus_Scope

No one mentioned fudge, it was just an 'optical illusion', but because it's you, we can give you 500g.     

rebel11

notnap said:

Due to my health condition being kidney transplant three years ago I have my blood test done every two or three months plus I regularly take my own blood pressure and weight  

I hope you're doing well and things are good for you.

anne67c

My own doctor has been doing mine the last few months or my practice nurse does them

rebel11

Amalegra said:

I like to have a yearly blood test to check my cholesterol levels as high, plus all the attendant risks, run in my family and I take a small dose of Atorvastatin as a preventative measure as well as being careful with my diet. My surgery hum and har about this so I bypass them and pay for one at my local pharmacy. Easier than nagging them or me worrying and so far so good. Recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I maybe won’t have to do this for a while as blood tests may be more forthcoming! 😂

Sorry to hear that, hopefully they be able to sort that out and keep on top of it with treatment. Most important thing is to keep positive. 

yves

My GP rings me to book the appointment.  I have 2 sets of bloods,  one for the Rheumatoid team at hospital which I take my own forms for and one set for my GP.

onebigvoice

rebel11 said:

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.   

I'm afraid mine are the same.  I have had blood issues for over 10 years and since taking Metotrexate have been on monthly scripts for medecation they will not release the script until I have a blood test "Back"
  So you would think that in monitering me they would book in advance say three monthly blood tests?
  NO. I have to book each month before I run out which "because of the pandemic" takes ages to get someone to answer and by that trime I am either told to ring again tomorrow as there are no more spaces left, or I am told to ring again tomorrow as their are no spaces left.  in other words people have gone down because they can't get through on the phone.
  That said markers have been elevated so the put me on TWO weekly blood tests and monthly scripts.  AGAIN, I can't book ahead?  I would have thought considering the seriousness of requiring monitering this would change.  NO. Where am I now, I have an appointment with the Doctor on Wednesday as the markers have been elevated to long and suspect Diabetes and need reassessing?  Also high blood pressure when they do decide to do that even though the thing that caused the high blood pressure was and is the cocktail of tablets taken.  You really need to read to paperinside some of these tablets.  Some say can cause death with prolonged use?  Is 10 years prolonged?   

figraspberry41

What a pity that our once admired NHS has deteriorated to what it seems to have come to! 
From the perspective of having worked in the NHS for many years and being a retired Community Nurse (R.G.N), I believe I have some insight on how the system should work. Usually if you see a Primary Practitioner, such as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner or GP then either of these people can provide you with the necessary paperwork to obtain a Blood Test. Theoretically, the patient 'should' be able to book an appointment with either a nurse or phlebotomist or HCA to perform this task. Ideally depending on the tests requested and the  urgency of the tests  an appointment should be made within a couple of days or weeks.  
If the request has come from a Hospital Consultant or Specialist Nurse Practitioner, then either this can be arranged at the Hospital you are under but sometimes a GP surgery is sent a request to organise said Blood Tests the forms are usually supplied by the authorising Practitioner and the appointment made accordingly. 
It is worth noting that most nurses these days are proficient in phlebotomy as it constitutes part of their general training. (When I trained 45 years ago, mostly doctors or phlebotomists performed the task, nurses were trained additionally to perform the task). 
Sometimes, for very specialist treatments (such as chemo therapy) that is ongoing over a period of time, some Hospitals have outreach nurses that are able to perform the venepuncture (take the Blood Sample(s) and administer the medication a prescribed via a suitable intra venous device. 
If this service is unavailable, often the local District / Community Nursing Team will be asked to perform the venepuncture at the patient's home. However, strictly speaking only "housebound" patients are seen in their own home, That said there are occasions where the patient is too unwell (due to their current condition) to attend a clinic or GP surgery, so the  Community Nurses 'fill in' until either the patient is feeling well enough or not going to be immune compromised by attending a clinic or surgery or the patient has mobility issues that prevent accessing a GP surgery or clinic area. 
It is shameful that patient's have to resort to paying their pharmacist to perform routine Blood Tests to monitor a patient's long term condition. 

rebel11

figraspberry41 said:

What a pity that our once admired NHS has deteriorated to what it seems to have come to! 
From the perspective of having worked in the NHS for many years and being a retired Community Nurse (R.G.N), I believe I have some insight on how the system should work. Usually if you see a Primary Practitioner, such as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner or GP then either of these people can provide you with the necessary paperwork to obtain a Blood Test. Theoretically, the patient 'should' be able to book an appointment with either a nurse or phlebotomist or HCA to perform this task. Ideally depending on the tests requested and the  urgency of the tests  an appointment should be made within a couple of days or weeks.  
If the request has come from a Hospital Consultant or Specialist Nurse Practitioner, then either this can be arranged at the Hospital you are under but sometimes a GP surgery is sent a request to organise said Blood Tests the forms are usually supplied by the authorising Practitioner and the appointment made accordingly. 
It is worth noting that most nurses these days are proficient in phlebotomy as it constitutes part of their general training. (When I trained 45 years ago, mostly doctors or phlebotomists performed the task, nurses were trained additionally to perform the task). 
Sometimes, for very specialist treatments (such as chemo therapy) that is ongoing over a period of time, some Hospitals have outreach nurses that are able to perform the venepuncture (take the Blood Sample(s) and administer the medication a prescribed via a suitable intra venous device. 
If this service is unavailable, often the local District / Community Nursing Team will be asked to perform the venepuncture at the patient's home. However, strictly speaking only "housebound" patients are seen in their own home, That said there are occasions where the patient is too unwell (due to their current condition) to attend a clinic or GP surgery, so the  Community Nurses 'fill in' until either the patient is feeling well enough or not going to be immune compromised by attending a clinic or surgery or the patient has mobility issues that prevent accessing a GP surgery or clinic area. 
It is shameful that patient's have to resort to paying their pharmacist to perform routine Blood Tests to monitor a patient's long term condition. 


There is a ton of technology out there, it's not being used, technology cuts costs and is more efficient.

Patients already have ailments, condition etc, then you've got to jump through 'hoops' to book a blood test. The patients involvement should be, just to go and make sure they get it done.    

figraspberry41

Yes, you would think that with all the hi tech stuff out there it would be easier to book appointments, have regular 'routine' Blood Tests and subsequent treatments done but that is not the case! 
I have other friends that have experienced many difficulties in obtaining appointments, receiving results and appropriate treatments. It is a sad reflection on our NHS. Even a simple task such as a repeat prescription can have serious consequences. A friend (who happens to to physically disabled, so getting to pharmacy to collect medications can be difficult), recently received her repeat prescription she had the foresight to look at the label and noted that the pharmacy label did not match the dosage on the box and indeed the packaging on the drug was the same as the box but not the same as the label. She phoned the pharmacy and complained because this is a drug error and was advised that the correct dosage would be delivered to her (as a courtesy, since they would not normally drive to her 'remote' location!). When the medication did arrive it was the correct strength  but slow release NOT what she needed!
It becomes a concern because as my friend said if she had been a patient who receives their medication pre- dispensed in a dosed box for example or delivered to a patient with dementia or even poor eye sight that patient is relying totally on the pharmacy to provide the correct medication for the correct time of day and would not even be able to check the contents of the delivered pre dosed box! 
I have experienced similar myself in as much as I had requested medication but a little in advance of the  'due' date. When I went to collect my medication the surgery had not processed it. I was advised by the surgery that it would automatically be processed at the correct time but this did not happen as a consequence, I was without medication and had to 'chase'  the surgery to be told that the department responsible were not working that day but the surgery's pharmacist would request an urgent prescription from a GP.

Hannah_Alumni

@rebel11 Deal  

@Amalegra I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Can I ask, are you getting support?