GP only doing "urgent" blood tests

[AreWeNearlyHairnet]

Hi!
I received a text from my GP today saying that due to the national shortage, they're only doing "urgent" blood tests.
Does anyone know if pregnancy blood tests count as urgent?
I'm 17+4 with my second, so I don't think I have any blood tests coming up for a few weeks anyway, but was just wondering.

I think they’d be classed as routine rather than urgent, unless there was reason to believe there’s an issue.
It’s mainly diagnostic tests that are still going ahead.

That's what I thought, thanks!

As it's your second they should already know your blood group from last time. If you are well, your tests will likely be delayed

Hi @AreWeNearlyHairnet I saw this on the news earlier and wondered the same thing! I had a letter asking me to book bloods in for next week and it gave me a link to do it online. There was still 20+ appointments available for each day, so not sure if that means it’s not all areas of the UK or if where I live hadn’t updated their booking system!

Yes pregnancy blood tests count as urgent/necessary. All going ahead as normal where I am

Thanks all!

I had my 12 week ones today no issues there.

Don’t panic, I don’t think I had bloods taken again until 28 weeks!

There is a national shortage of vials I think.

As they need to check you are not becoming anaemic and have not developed rhesus antibodies I’m fairly sure that pregnancy bloods would be classed as urgent. The sort of things that will be delayed are yearly check on cholesterol etc

Maternity bloods still do need to be done. The routine ones will be the 6 monthly or annual blood tests lots of people on certain medications have. Theirs will be delayed unless they have altering symptoms/other issues.

At our practice the blood tests are probably 50/50 between routine reviews & those requested by GPs due to symptoms. The ones relating to symptoms will still go ahead.