GP mucked up my blood tests

[jt1952]

I feel like crying right now.

I saw my GP with a suspicion of an under active thyroid. He agreed with me and said he would book in the following blood tests:

FBC
Liver function
Renal function
Thyroid function
Tests for ferritin etc
Vitamin D
Cholesterol

I have had the blood test and got the results today. He only ordered FBC, renal function, liver function and HBA1C.

For full context I am overweight, I’ve lost 10 stone and I am still losing (intentionally). The GP has messaged to say the blood are all fine and as far as he’s concerned that’s the case closed. I can access my results.

I feel so frustrated that half the tests he promised haven’t been done. Now I need to start the entire process again, wait four weeks to speak to a GP and wait another four for a blood test, wait a week for the results and see if I actually get the tests I need.

AIBU to make a complaint? It really feels like he was trying to pull a fast one with the HBA1C, and blame this on me being pre-diabetic. In actual fact it’s at the bottom of a normal range!

@jt1952 you haven’t replied to the many suggestions that you contact the surgery and explain this mistake? You are clinging to the belief that you’ll have to wait 8 weeks.

When GPs run bloods they almost always run a whole health screening to include diabetes. I’m a normal weight, have no symptoms at all but have hypertension and when my bloods are done diabetes is included.

They’ve told me from their point of view it’s concluded. I’ll call on Monday but I can’t imagine they’ll do anything

They might still have your blood at the lab and can run the extra tests

Are you anemic? Heavy periods. It could be that. Those were my common anemia symptoms

I’m not angry about the HBA1C being included, it’s nice to know (it’s actually at the bottom of the healthy range), because it’s obviously always something to think about when you’ve been obese. It’s the fact he included that but not half the tests he promised.

Email and ask them to look at the consultation notes. If thyroid function is mentioned then I find it hard to believe they will decline.

Youre entitled to feel a bit annoyed but it does sound solvable.

Just call and explain OP. They can print you off a blood form and take it to the hospital if the nurse doesn’t have an appointment. You sound very offended by the diabetes test.

Just ring the surgery and tell them you’ll pick a blood form up for the tests that have been omitted. My surgery posts blood forms out to me unless it’s an urgent test.

I think YABU. Yes, there has been some sort of error or mix-up about the tests, but to complain because the GP asked for a particular test he hadn’t mentioned to you, and ascribe this to the doctor "trying to pull a fast one" sounds worryingly paranoid. Why do you think the dr requested it? What possible reason could there be, other than that they thought it was a good idea? If s/he thought it might be a factor in you not feeling well, would you really prefer it not to be tested for? (Could it be that the reason the dr didn’t mention that test is that you have reacted angrily in the past to any suggestion of the possibility of pre-diabetes, as you have now?)

Obviously I don’t defend the lack of the thyroid testing, but presumably this was just an error, though I understand your irritation. As others have suggested, I would simply phone the surgery, explain, and ask for a speedy replacement blood test appointment as it was their error.

I use a private GP service fairly regularly, but got blood tests last month via Randox and was hugely pleasantly surprised with both the quality of the report and price of the blood tests. I won't return to the private GP for blood tests.

Are you in England? If so you should be able to see the consultation notes on the NHS app.

This situation is ideal for an e-consult:
I saw Dr Bloggs on X date who said i needed x, y and z bloods. Unfortunately the results are back and only x was done. Please can I have new bloods for y and z.

I’ve been medically gaslit my entire life and had medical conditions that are not weight related put down to my weight. So to me it seems as though he was hoping my HBA1C would be raised and he could go “there we go! Poor diet, keep losing weight”

Yes, I can. It explicitly states he would order those tests that he hasn’t

They won’t. The GP has to order them and bloods need to be done at the surgery. I asked if they could do them at the hospital and he said no.

I am a bit pissed off by it because it feels like it was done without consent and for no real reason. I’m not annoyed it was done, it’s the fact it was done without my consent.

GPs and their staff are human beings. This sounds like a simple error. No harm done. No one has died or had their cancer missed.
simply book a nurse appt for the extra bloods and explain that your GP had already authorised them.

Some blood tests take longer to get the results than others, so you may have only got the quick test results. Therefore, you may have had blood taken further other tests, but not just got the results yet.

It maybe worth checking with the surgery first what tests were actually requested and sent off.

You seem to be picking fault with every response

Just ring on Monday and explain the situation.

Is that the standard we have to accept now? It’s not cancer so it’s not worth investigating in a timely manner?

Because I’m fucking angry at it being minimised.

Have you actually called them? Surely the Gp can just order without needing to see you again.

You're not being minimised. People make mistakes all the time.

Just ring on Monday and explain and ask for the thyroid tests as requested. It should all be there on your notes so it shouldn't be an issue.

its not really acceptable to miss out half the bloods you say you’re going to order though?

I got the message at 4:55 that they had received the results and they were normal.

I read it at 5, when I finished work. Their phone lines close at 5.

You don't know that he did. Maybe the phlebotomist made a mistake. Maybe the form got lost somewhere or the receptionist didn't input things properly.

Honestly, you're starting to sound like a petulant child. Just ring and get it sorted. If, after you've given them a chance to make it right, they fob you off or cause an issue, then you can be angry.

You can call the health centre, explain the situation, say they forgot to do some of the bloods and ask if you can arrange to get them done asap.
(I think it’s a simple human error of forgetting to tick boxes on the form. I can’t imagine they’d do it on purpose to piss you off )
If they won’t and you do have to start again though, I’d complain to the practise manager.