To think there has to be a better way for blood tests

[Babysharkdoodoodoodo]

Just had a letter (real one, not email) from the GP reminding me to get a blood test done.

However, I work full time Mon-Fri. The only way to get blood tests done is through the chemist at 9.00 until 11 or the walk-in centre from 8 until 4. In reality they stop at around 2 as the queues are so long. I've had to wait 2.5 hours before now. Again only Mon-Fri.

I leave for work, currently at 6.30 and get home around 5ish. Then I'm going away for work for most of January and February, and only then will I have time to get one done.

Equally I can't even get to see a gp as they've reduced their surgery hours having knocked the one late evening they did on the head.

What happened to extended hours? Adverts on all the buses round here, but no surgeries are doing them?

I emailed them back explaining this, but they haven't even bothered replying.

Depending on the test needed you can purchase them online, do them yourself then copy the results to the GP surgery?
That or take a day off

Will work allow you to work flexibly one day? Go first thing to get test done and go in a bit late? That's what I tend to do, or take some leave. I don't think most surgeries have the staffing/ funds to offer much extra at the moment.

Depending on your workplace, some places will let you come in late or leave early in order to go for a blood test especially if you have a letter from the GP stating you need one.

Like everywhere the services are stretched so fitting in late and weekend clinics often simply isn’t practical.

Can you not take a morning off work or go in a bit late one morning?

Sounds bizarre. The two surgeries I've registered at have always given booked appointments for blood tests and my current one is part of a larger group of surgeries that do extended hours for blood tests.

Are there really no bookable appointments? How does thst work for tests which need to be done first thing in the morning?

Our GP is open 8-18:30 Mon, Tues, weds, Fri, 8-8 Thurs and 10-1 sat and Sunday. You can also get a blood test done at any hospital or clinic with the paperwork from your doctor. This is UK. Where do you live?

Can you go to the path lab at the hospital?

Is there only one pharmacy that does blood tests? In my lab we get blood samples from pharmacies all over the city and you can book at any of them? I appreciate it may be different wherever you are though. You could try googling private phlebotomy in your area? I think they charge around £20 but will come to you at your convenience.

YANBU. I have this too. My nearest blood taking place is about 45 mins to 1 hour walk or a 15 min walk up to the bus stop and, with wait for right sort of bus, a good half hour from there. Then I arrive and the queue is out of the door, so 1 and a half to 2 hours' wait for the 2 min deed before I can trek all the way back and start my journey to work. In reality, it means I can only have my blood taken when I am unemployed (am self-employed so sometimes get time between assignments) - my routine bloods sometimes get done 2-3 months after GP surgery have told me I must have them. If the blood test is more urgent, I have to negotiate with my client and take a morning off as it does actually take 90% of the morning before I reach their place of work if I have to go for bloods locally first. It also means, of course, that I miss a morning's wage-earning. HOWEVER, last time I went (a couple of months ago), I found, when I got there, that you can now BOOK an appointment online. It is worth checking that with your centre as no-one told me and it would have saved quite a bit of the wait once I had arrived.

First off how would an online blood test even work? I'm not sticking needles into myself

I can't take time off as I'm doing fairly intensive training and can't really afford even one day off. Training finishes in February. I'm working over Xmas and New Year as well, but might be able to manage 27th Dec. All the training is on various sites over the Midlands and it takes at least 1.5 hours to travel to most of them. Hours are fixed so I can't make up the time.

And finally, they don't even do them in the surgery now. Either at the chemist in the morning or at the (privatised) walk in centre.

Best solution would be to keep them in house and still have a late evening then I'd have a chance of getting one done.

I would just phone the GP and explain the circumstances and ask what they suggest. As a FT working parent I also find this infuriating (I have had many GPS who offer evening and weeeknd appointments to working people only but sadly not this one which seems over populated by pensioners)

So I call them and ask them. A few times they’ve just stroppily said if you care that much you’ll take time off work, other times they’ve managed to find decent alternatives

All blood test appointments have to be booked on line where I live. There is a choice of hospitals though. GPs dont do blood tests here.
There seems to be such a mish mash of services in the UK now. It is a shambles.
I have to have blood tests every 2 weeks and I am not allowed to book more than one at a time. So I am constantly looking for cancellations.
Being ill is a full time job.

Shortage of staff means they need people to prioritise their health before other activities, including work. Before you think I’m unsympathetic, I’m not! I find it incredibly difficult to manage GP appts and also have a long term condition requiring both meds and monitoring. Getting drugs from the pharmacy can be a nightmare. They all have online or linkups with local pharmacy but it just doesn’t seem to work. One part of the pathway stalls.

The consequences on my working life could be really difficult. I’m really lucky to have both flexibility and autonomy over my working hours and often think it must be impossible otherwise.

MrsStrowman, the blood clinics at the hospital are only open until 5pm.

I'm in Liverpool. We have clinics on until 8pm, at walk-in Centers, but not everyone has that.

Here in Liverpool we trialed a "tele-health" system, because people getting to clinics is an issue. But that is being disbanded.

People are getting the monitoring that they need and it's leading to hospital admissions and death.

being ill is a full time job. This!

No one explains about the impact of juggling hospital appts, GP appts, collecting pharmacy items

Don’t start me on their online or telephone call service. You have to pass through this screening to be able to see someone. So in an open plan office/meeting my daughter can await a call which she might miss because she’s on a call on the work phone and then in front of others describe her bowel habits.... excellent.

When you have a disabling, life limiting illness it is miserable spending all your time trying to juggle appointments and tests. Organising your life around appointments that constantly get cancelled either on the day or the day before.
Nobody appreciates that you might actually want to visit family or tick something off the bucket list while you still can.

No need for the it’s a suggestion.
If you read the instructions it’s a finger prick, not a full on needle.

Yes online blood tests really are very simple

I do understand your predicament by the way.
It’s pretty much impossible for me to get blood tests done for myself as I too work full time, ironically in phlebotomy.

Then why don’t they do finger pricks as standard rather than the horrible wat?

Surely your boss will let you take the time off for a blood test?

*way?

@PatMullins It's a proper blood test I need for blood sugars and cholesterol. I do finger pricks many times a day. I even use an app that works out my blood sugars but the gp won't accept it.

It's so annoying as I know my blood sugars are fine but apparently my own judgement in reading a meter is not good enough. I've managed to squeeze in my eye test for retinopathy and the gp checked me over last time I managed to get in, but they are saying that if I don't get this blood test done, then they might not sign off on my repeat prescriptions which I need for cancer prevention (aromasin)

Online blood tests require a phlebotomist / nurse to withdraw blood. You can go to see someone, get it done at the hospital, make an appointment for someone to see you at home etc. Some tests require a very small amount and you can get the blood out of your finger. medichecks tests are recognised by the Pricey though.

Recognised by the nhs - words got eaten.