Blood tests away from home

[Kentmum10]

Hello, does anyone know if my YP at uni who needs a blood test during term time asked for by the GP at home is able to go to any blood test centre? We havnt registered with a uni GP due to ongoing health conditions and reluctance to do so messing up current support 😬

Generally speaking no, the different bits of the NHS often don't talk to each other digitally so she won't be able to take a form from a home GP to a phlebotomy site at uni.

No, if it's a request by the home GP then the blood test needs to happen at a location that is part of the same local system as the GP practice. For example, my GP surgery is based in the Swansea Bay region - I couldn't go to Cardiff for a blood test unless it was a specialist test that could only be provided in Cardiff - if it was a bog standard test for iron levels or similar, I would have to go to one of the clinics who form part of the Swansea Bay University Health Board. It's different if you attend a hospital and they determine then and there that you need a test, but that's because the test requirement is decided by the hospital.

If it's part of ongoing monitoring or treatment, surely she can register with a GP surgery local to uni and talk to them or ask to be referred to whoever would do it locally. Alternatively, she could try talking to a local surgery to check how it could be done in her uni area without being registered there, or come home.

DD was 330 miles from home and had to have an emergency operation up there. She knew there would be a follow on operation, so changed her GP back home so she could be at home for recovery. In the meantime, she had a flare ups at uni, and a local GP was able to immediately refer her locally up there for a 'holding operation' (final thing couldn't be done during a flare up) and dressing changes after without being registered with practice. It was very inter-changable. She came home every time after operations up there (four!) and each time just phoned surgery and got a nurses appointment.

Thankyou all! I’ve called the uni surgery and they’ve echoed this, looks like it’ll be a long trip home for it! 🤪

Ah well, at least you get to see your YP!