Any nurses; admin staff please?

It’s worth asking, my GP practice prints the forms off and the plastic envelopes are stuck on later. Not sure about the little sticky labels for sticking on the individual samples though..

Hope he is OK.

Thank you Blossoming
We only need the form.
He’s having truxima / rituximab (sp?) infusions for RA, it’s to do with that.

Bloods and scans etc are usually ordered electronically - don't know why you need a form.

I know it's Sunday but some specialists departments are opening at weekends to clear the backlog - have you tried to phone them?

Hi Riverwalk I knew that you’d help!
I did try phone the Rheumatology dept and phlebotomy, but I was told there was no one there.
I explained to the RA nurse that it was problematic, but she said no form, no blood test.
They are just so unhelpful.
The NHS just seems to be crumbling.
I had to arrange another urgent blood test a few weeks ago, and it was a nightmare.
It was no one’s responsibility.
I must have made nigh on 30 phone calls

Hi Fanny
My husband has to have regular blood tests. He normally gets them sent through the post from the hospital.
I know that Addenbrookes, our hospital contacts him by email though, and is open on weekends.
I agree with Riverwalk, l would call them.

When DH needed blood test the form was sent direct from GP to the dept.

Thank you
It would make sense for the RA dept to email it to phlebotomy wouldn’t it?
There must be a more sensible way.
I will try ringing again

I've not had to take an actual blood test form for a long time now. They are sent electronically as has been mentioned above.

I really wish that I’d take it further with the nurse on Friday.
But we had to go, because we’d got a hard won appointment at the tip. (You have to go through a right rigmarole to go there now.)
Everything is so flipping difficult these days

My blood test forms come through the post as GP cannot order them. I can just walk in to the hospital without an appointment when I have the form though rather than booking

I don't get a blood test form now but I do get sent the sticky labels for the tubes and the polythene bag the tubes go in - all sent through the post.

The request should be on the system, FannyC and the phlobetemist should be able to print off the labels.

Hi Fanny

I am not a nurse nor an admin, but just a thought, it might be no good, but ...

Would it be worth trying to ring 111 and ask them if one of the nurses who is on duty behind the call answerers could sort it out for you?

It is just possible that they might be able to access it, or use some nurses-only contact route to the hospital and get it done.

It really depends on:

the policy on emails being sent to patients (some departments will do it at your own risk, other simply don't)

OR the set-up /communication that Rheumatology has with the place where blood is taken - they may send the request through directly to the phlebotomists (this is what happens in my area)

Either way, ring Rheumatology, explain and ask if one or the other can be done.