If you require a blood test within three weeks of a hospital appointment, regardless of whether this was done face to face or virtually, this test should be directly arranged by the hospital team. This means that you should be given or posted out a form and that the blood sample should also be taken directly by the hospital teams.
We understand the inconvenience these limitations may pose for you as patients. It’s crucial to clarify that the constraints are not a result of any perceived laziness within the practice team. Rather, they stem from the overwhelming volume of requests for short time frame blood test appointments that our practice receives.
The tight schedule makes it challenging for us to adequately plan and allocate the necessary resources. Consequently, an agreement has been established between the Leicestershire hospital teams and GPs, designating them as the providers for managing this workload. It’s important to note that the hospital teams receive funding for these tests, while our practice does not.
We want to highlight that redirecting these requests, even on a one-off basis, not only causes delays for patients rightfully under our care but also creates disparities for those seeking to utilise our services.
In light of these considerations, we regret to inform you that we will be unable to accommodate inappropriate blood test requests. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.
If your blood tests is after three weeks of your appointment the practice team will be able to accomodate this provided you book in a timely manner. Please contact us to arrange this as soon as you know when your test is needed