To want to know the results of my blood tests?

[BigbreastsBiggerbeard]

I was admitted to A&E three weeks ago with stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea. It was the first time I'd ever had to call an ambulance and I was mortified, but was concerned about passing out (I almost had several times). On arrival at A&E, they took blood from me.

I waited in A&E for five hours and was told there was no certainty about when I'd be seen by a doctor. I fully understood this as emergencies would have been coming in all the time, people whose need was greater than mine. After five hours, feeling somewhat better (they'd put fluids in me intravenously) I made the decision to go home. Not a decision taken lightly, but I suffer from ME and the noise and activity was making me ill (in a different way!). So I discharged myself. Not ideal, I DID want to be seen by a doctor, but I couldn't risk a relapse (of the ME).

The staff who discharged me told me that if there was anything urgent on the blood test results, they would call me; if not, the results would go to my GP. I was fine with this. I went home and gradually got better.

I have since tried to find out the results of those blood tests. They did not get sent to my GP. I rang A&E several times, being told different things each time, and on the last occasion, the woman I spoke to checked my records and said that she could see that I'd had 15 blood tests done, and would fax the results to my GP (she specifically requested the fax number for my GP) This did not happen.

I resorted to ringing the PALS service at the hospital as it was clear I was just being passed from pillar to post. They got through to a Dr who said he would fax the results to my GP. This did not happen. My second call to PALS resulted in being told that, as I had discharged myself from A&E, and had not seen a doctor, my results couldn't be sent to the GP (I don't know why) The matron told me, via the PALS worker, that I should go to my GP and request to have blood tests done. She didn't say WHAT blood tests though!!

I'm so confused by all this. Am I BU to think that it's reasonable to want to know what those blood tests showed, if anything? Do I, in fact have any right to know the results, given that I discharged myself?

Can anyone shed any light on this? Is there anyone who works in an &E department who may know what the procedure is in cases like this? I'd be so grateful.

YANBU but the blood test results almost definitely showed nothing and that's why no one is bothering to do anything. If anything even mildly suspect had shown up they'd have called you back in.

Make a SARS request. It’s a data protection thing.

I agree, BottleOf. The fact that they didn't ring me indicates there was nothing wrong. Which I'm very happy about. However, I would still like to have access to them if possible. And now, it's more a concern about being given incorrect information so many times.

It is usual for a GP to be able to see (all but the most complex sent away to specialist centres) hospital blood results on their own computer system. However, that only holds true if the hospital you went to is your local hospital? The next way of them getting info from the hospital is from the discharge letter, but if you took your own discharge prior to being seen by the doctor, then the likelihood is that the computer set up won't have let them generate a discharge letter (partly because computer says no, partly because coding tends to operate off discharge letters, and could have looked like a fraudulent attempt for the hospital to get paid for the doctor having seen you when they hadn't). The other way, yes, is sending a fax or special letter. I don't work in an A&E, but generally they seem to have far less admin support than even the wards, because the assumption is that everything goes through the normal system and is automatically computer generated. And given that most hospital fax machines are bloody antiquated, I wouldn't be at all surprised if some helpful person whose job it isn't has managed to fax the blank side of a piece of paper. Been there, done that.

Keep pushing. I have severe ME (& bedbound) would have really suffered being in A&E. Totally understand why you left.

Look online how to apply for your medical records from your local Trust. They have to give you copies after you've filled out the forms.

No doubt you've been fobbed off over the years about 'all tests being normal' anyway with ME. Now I always keep a copy for my records. The NHS is so pushed, they DO miss stuff! Good luck

Thanks, KetoME, I will do that. Yes, I have been fobbed off in the past, and like you, prefer to have copies of results to keep myself.

nocoolnames - Yes, it was my local hospital. When I saw the GP last week, she did say something about sometimes being able to access results on the computer, but in this case, quickly established that she couldn't! I'm seeing a different GP next week (or week after) and will ask her. I knew that A&E are incredibly busy and so was really grateful when the receptionist said she would fax them over....until she didn't.

Bluebird - I'll look into the SARS thing, thanks.

"My second call to PALS resulted in being told that, as I had discharged myself from A&E, and had not seen a doctor, my results couldn't be sent to the GP (I don't know why) "

Because you discharged yourself - I don't think an A&E doctor would have reviewed the blood tests and wrote a discharge summary for you and your GP. Unless there was a very abnormal result that the lab would have made them aware about.

Thanks, Popc0orn - I guess that'll be it.

Your GP could always phone the lab to get the results verbally from the lab. Not all GPs may be willing to do that but it is possible