The endless NHS wild goose chase to get a blood test

[frankiesamson]

I dread becoming ill enough to need the NHS in any way, because I've never had a good service from them, and neither have any of my family or friends. My grandfather died because the GP refused to give him the needed blood test. My DH almost died a few years ago because our GP refused to give him a simple blood test- it took a huge effort to find a GP willing to do it, he finally got diagnosed & given the needed treatment just in time. My mother also almost lost decades off her life because she struggled to persuade her GP to do a specific test for a serious condition- which turned out to be positive, but only after months of fighting with her GP to get this 1 minute blood test done.

Something as simple as a vitamin deficiency can become life threatening when your GP refuses to test.

Sadly, now is one of those times again. Myself & DH stripped our staircase & skirting boards recently without realising they had lead paint on them & that you're not supposed to strip lead paint using a heat gun.

Naturally, we now need a lead blood test to ensure we're okay. Waiting for lead poisoning symptoms is a bad idea & could be fatal, it's best to get it done without delay.

And here ensues the NHS wild goose chase...

I delayed addressing this issue because I knew it'd drive me up the wall trying to find anyone in the NHS to see at short notice let alone persuade them to give us the needed blood test.

I took a deep breath & decided today to make a concerted effort to get this simple blood test done.

We've just moved house & not only have we not yet registered at the new GP but are presently away from home for several weeks in Manchester, which has only made things even worse.

The GP receptionists in Manchester refused to register us even as temporary patients, saying "WE DON'T DO TEMPORARY PATIENTS 'ERE UNLESS YOU GOT A PERMANENT ADDRESS 'ERE"... trying to reason or use logic with them proved futile. I explained we're here for a couple of weeks and asked "Any resident in England can see a GP whilst on holiday or visiting friends in a different area.. this is everyone's right on the NHS." They looked at me incredulously... as if I'd just spoken new words to them.

I went on: "Why would a temporary patient have a permanent address here? That makes no sense."... but it fell on deaf ears.. they just looked completely confused.

In the end, after an age of trying to negotiate with these stubborn receptionists, they finally allowed us to register as temporary patients (filling out the forms) only to then announce to us that they had no appointments available EVER. (seriously!)

And another heated discussion ensued... they then insisted on knowing what the emergency was, so I explained it to them. They glazed over & had no clue what I was talking about but the buzz words "lead poisoning" seemed to have a small effect. They insisted we go to A & E instead of the GP.

So, I went to A & E (knowing this would also be a wild goose chase), and when I got there, the receptionist turned us away & told us unless we have a broken leg or arm, this isn't a job for A & E. We were told to head back to the GP for a blood test!

After more heated discussions, I managed to persuade the GP to see us that day. He saw us but then it turned out to be futile as at our appointment, he simply insisted we go to A & E "because you need to get this tested & if positive, get the therapy for it straight away, without delay"....then what was the point in the appointment with him?!!

It seemed more like a fob-off as he seemed impatient to get rid of us. I explained how useless A & E had been to us, but he insisted we try again.

So, back we went.. this is now the better half of 7 hours in total we've spent trying to get this simple 1 minute blood test.

... and back at A & E, I got past stage 1 hurdle: The receptionist.. only to reach stage 2 hurdle: The Nurse.. who insisted there's no such thing as a lead blood test.. I had to politely correct her on that, but she was adamant it did not exist, at least "not at A & E" and that we have to go back to the GP (which by now was closed).

I managed to beg her to please double check to see if there's a blood test there for it on their system as it's quite simple. She said she'd check & let me know- but insisted we wait in the waiting room while she checks.

This seemingly 2 minute wait turned into 30 minutes, which then turned into hours. Each time I asked her if she had checked yet, she had some excuse why she hadn't. I explained that if they truly don't and can't do the blood test then it's pointless us waiting there wasting ours & their time, so could she just please let me know.

... an age later, I checked with her again to find out what's going on, and she gruffly said quickly "press the buzzer and go in there & they'll do an ECG on you!!".... then she vanished.

ECG?! For testing lead level in the blood? Curious but I'm no doctor.. so ok.

I searched for this elusive buzzer she spoke of.. I found one, but the door remained locked. Complete chaos!

Eventually someone else walked through, so I followed them. I asked a nurse if we were in the right place, but he looked at us, muffled something under his breath & walked off. (not kidding!)

He then came back so I asked him again.. he looked at his paperwork, looked back at us, then once again walked off leaving us standing there clueless.

I then waited at a reception desk in there for an age, in the hope someone would turn up- a woman sat down at reception & looked at me with a slightly vacant face "HUH? " she said to me. I replied "sorry, we were told to come in here for an ECG. Are we in the right place?" - she said "I DUNNO". Then she disappeared.

I tried a 3rd person, who also had no clue- but I insisted "Look, our names are....(so & so) we were told to come through here but I don't know if I'm in the right place. Could you check please?" .. to that she begrudglingly got off her chair, looked on a piece of paper & said with attitude "YES YOU'LL BE NEXT. DON'T WAIT IN HERE GO BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM OK?!!"...

Of course my question then was, "That's fine.. just to check, why were we told to come in here, was it for something else?"

She completely ignored me.

I asked "Approximately how long is the wait--" but before I could even finish my sentence, she disappeared.

We went back to the waiting room..

What seemed like 2 hours later, we had no idea if we'd been forgotten.. our names were called.. we walked up to the lady calling us, and smiled at her with raised eyebrows, making it obvious it was us- and she completely blanked us! Then shouted back into the waiting room our names... again ! Then she looked at my shocked expression & said "ARE YOU SO & SO???", I said "yes", slightly intimidated. She said angrily at me "THEN SAY SO!!! I'M NOT PSYCHIC!!!!"

She then took us into another room & said she was going to give us general blood tests (completely unrelated to lead poisoning!!).. I politely mentioned we were only there for the lead blood test as there's nothing wrong with us, she got extremely angry, made some quite personal insults at me & kicked us out... (with attitude) "IF YOU'RE GONNA BE LIKE THAT LUV THEN YOU CAN JUST LEAVE!" i asked her "like what? I'm just wondering if this has anything to do with the lead blood test, or if not, how much longer until we get the lead blood test as we've been trying to get it for around 8 hours so far today".. she replied (with attitude) "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT!!! I'LL TELL THE DOC YOU DON'T NEED THIS TEST & YOU CAN JUST WAIT FOR THE DOC TO DISCHARGE YOU!".. I asked her how long to see "the doc", and she seemed to enjoy saying "I DON'T KNOW BUT I'M NOT GONNA BE GIVING YOU NOTHIN LUV SO GET OUT" with a smile.

It seemed like she wasn't planning to tell the doctor at all. I have no idea what caused her attitude.

Rather shaken up, we waited outside to catch some air. I then saw her leaving the hospital, she laughed at me & caught a bus. I was so shaken up by the day's ordeal we decided to go home & I'm looking up lead test kits to buy online.

This is the state of our NHS, people, and it has been for decades..

This was all in Manchester. Admittedly, we're from the south and we've noticed people in Manchester lack friendliness & can often be against southerners in general as they seem to think our accents denote us as spoilt millionaires (which we're not!), but anyway it was appalling.

I have no idea what we are going to do now.. go back to the GP tomorrow & explain what happened? It'll just be another wild goose chase all over again.

[LeekSoup]

W.T.F!
Op, you sound a massive PITA

[PercySugden]

Unbelievable.

[TenancyTroublesAgain]

A&E wasn't the best idea but it's not like the OP went straight there or even thought it was appropriate, they were advised!

I read the whole thing and the attitudes of the staff you encountered were shocking...

OP, go private.

[dirtybadger]

Living inside your own arse is probably some sort of lead protection.

It's okay for me to say that, because I'm southern, so it's not rude.

[BusterGonad]

I think my brother (or uncle) had lead poisoning, I'm pretty sure it effected their heart, they got it from stripping paint. It is a serious condition but this thread does make me laugh!

[DumbleDee]

How do you know there was lead in the paint? Try a local walk in centre

[randomuntrainedcuntowner]

I lived in Manchester for years and no one was ever rude to me. And I'm from down south and well spoken.

[treedragon]

Hi!

A way to address this could be to write to your own GP explaining your concerns and that you'd like to have a lead medical.

If your surdery operates a eConsult type of system where you can detail your issue on a webform and it goes through to a doctor for review.

If they feel you don't need one and you still have concerns I can tell you that lead medicals and blood tests for lead exposure can be obtained privately. I know the Spires Hospital do one.

privatebloodtests.co.uk/private-blood-test-for-lead-in-blood.html

A lead (or trace element) blood test requires a special vacutainer (the tube that is used to draw blood off) coloured blue and are not always carried in standard phlebotomy clinic kits which go around visiting surgeries.

[treedragon]

I would also think that exposure to high levels of lead would be quite slim even if stripping paint with a heat gun. Especially if as you should do anyway is wear a mask and gloves.

If you were dry sanding the paint then you could breathe in lead oxide contaminated dust.

The biggest danger with lead paint is with children. Not so much the fact it is there but very young children have a habit of chewing things and can do this to surfaces covered in lead paint.

The trouble with this is that lead is actually very sweet to the taste so children go back for more. This can build up quickly in their tiny bodies with no time for it to pass through.

[frankiesamson]

Update:

Sorry I haven't been on here for a while- We ended up having to cut our Manchester trip short & went to London to get the blood test done privately. (we couldn't even find a private clinic willing to do it in Manchester because they either didn't know anything on the phone or told us they needed an NHS GP referral)

We arrived in London & had the blood test booked & done all within 40 minutes from getting off the train, for £60 each, and temporary GP registration arranged quickly. In London there was no fuss, no hassle & no rude or angry people :) Everyone in London was fantastic in stark contrast with Manchester.

Our results came back as positive for lead & we both started treatment. Our friend abroad had the same diagnosis. According to the doctor, we caught it just in time.

If anything it's just a relief to be seen, taken seriously & treated.

This whole saga reminded me of a close family member who was unwell for months & battled his GP for a long time to obtain a blood test on the NHS. By the time the GP agreed to do the test, it turned out the problem was so far gone he suffered permanent body & brain damage as a result. All of this could have so easily been prevented had the test been done sooner.

I won't be reading any more replies on here, I'm sorry- some of the things people are saying are just too upsetting & I don't feel I have anything to defend.

I wish you all the best & hope none of you end up in a similar position

[frankiesamson]

last reply-

treedragon, thanks so much for your post, it's informative and although our problem is solved now your post might be helpful especially for anyone in a similar position in the future. FYI we mostly stripped using a heatgun, an entire house, and we did some machine sanding as well, all with masks & ventilation. We followed DIY instructions & didn't realise it was lead paint until it was too late. The lead level for us was high even for adults apparently but we caught it in time for treatment. Thankfully we had no children in the house.

[BuzzKillington]

Late to this thread, but OP, you sound completely hysterical.

[Blue384729]

OP: "I google searched "private blood tests in Manchester" and Spires Manchester didn't show up,"

I've just done it and it was LITERALLY the first result.

[italiancortado]

Our results came back as positive for lead & we both started treatment

Treatment

[TheFirstMrsDV]

I am totally convinced this all happened.

[treedragon]

You would have had to strip a lot of paint to reach significant toxicity levels.

[CuppaTea86]

What's the treatment then OP?

[hermesconrad]

"I'm probably the least judgemental person in the city"

😂😂 someone's been reading too many Donald Trump tweets

[apostropheuse]

Thank goodness for Lobdon eh.

I don't know how I've survived all these years without London healthcare.

[HarrietKettle]

Oh Christ OP, are you worrying about it further lowering your IQ?! Apparently it can do.

[Polarbearflavour]

Chelation therapy via IV or orally is the treatment. I’ve just had a google and lead poisoning is pretty serious. Hope you are okay OP! Some very unkind comments.

[Screamingontheinside]

I work in the nhs, have done for over 20 years. So glad of the support op

[PancakeInMaBelly]

Op pretty much all of my furniture is antique. Weve also DIYed previous old houses and OH YEAH grew up in the 70s/80s chewing dodgy old toys.If fatal lead poisoning was that easily caught my whole household would be dead several times over.

CALM DOWN youve had very little exposure compaired to most of us.

Toxicity is about dose.

[Bettybettybettybetty]

[PoshPenny]

www.southend.nhs.uk/pathology-handbook/test-directory/test-directory-l-index/lead/

I think you're being OTT.
Did you have any symptoms?
This is something that can wait until you're home and registered with a GP.
Lead levels in paint were pretty low TBH, maybe a painter and decorator would have been at risk because of continuous exposure day after day year after year, but I doubt your levels would be of concern.