Blood tests: Doctors act

THE GP practices at Wellington Medical Centre and Luson Surgery in Wellington have taken action because of the national shortage of blood test tubes, prioritising patients with the greatest clinical needs.

The practices have a combined total of more than 22,000 patients and decisions will have to be taken on how urgent blood tests are.

American company Becton Dickinson (BD), which makes the tubes for the NHS, is understood to be ramping up imports. It has increased capacity to the UK by 20 per cent and will be delivering nine million this week.

Doctors have been told to stop many blood tests until September 17 while hospitals have to cut the total by a quarter.

Wellington Medical Centre published the following information on its website: “We are following national guidance which has been issued in response to the shortage. As a result, we may need to cancel and delay a number of patient appointments for blood tests deemed routine or non-urgent. If you have a routine blood test appointment your GP surgery will be in touch directly if they need to cancel your appointment. This will be by phone or by text message.

“Please be assured that appointments will be rescheduled once the situation has improved, and in line with national guidance. There are a few things you can do if you are affected by this change:

* Check our website for updates – we will be sharing the latest patient information as we receive it.

* Check your phone for messages from your GP practice.

* Please don’t call or contact your GP practice with questions about routine blood tests – practices are experiencing exceptional levels of demand at the moment, and your co-operation will help practice staff to focus on reaching those without smartphone or internet access with this critical information.

n Do get in touch with your GP practice online if your condition worsens or changes so that the surgery can prioritise your blood test if necessary following clinical review.

“The changes are likely to be in place for at least four weeks. We will keep you updated as the national situation changes. We fully understand the frustration this is likely to cause and apologise for the inconvenience.”