blood tests

27 comments

lilly59

9 Feb 2012

Hi yes I have mine done at my GP's surgery better than going to the hospital
Lilly xx

Reply to this

beachbabe

9 Feb 2012

hi - i have had my bloods done at the GP for about two years and go once a month. it all works out fine as docs have recent activity if you need to see them urgently and so does the hospital as it all goes on your medical file.
but to be on the safe side when you first have bloods done at GP ask them to make a note on accompanying paperwork that a record needs to go to your hospital file - mine is just done as a matter of course now.

lol beachbabe xxxxxxx

Reply to this

MaryO

9 Feb 2012

Mine have always been done by my GP and the nurse fills in my book. The hospital and the GP get the results electronically. If I have my bloods done at the hospital, my GP doesn't get a copy of the results.
Mary

Reply to this

Gina_K Volunteer

9 Feb 2012

I always have mine doe at nurse at GPs but they send to hosp, who in turn email results back.

Gina.

Reply to this

Beth58

9 Feb 2012

I used to have mine done 8 wkly at my GP practice but I'm under the hospital again for 4 wkly checks. The DMARD nurses hold a clinic in the surgery, take your monitoring book and when the results come in they fill out the details and post the book back you, it takes about 5 days altogether. As the results are electronically stored both GP and consultant have access to them.

Beth x

Reply to this

petti1

9 Feb 2012

I would love to have this service!! I have to go to the hospital for my 8 weekly test and it is a real pain. I have asked about getting transferred to my GP, the phlebotomist at the surgery does take bloods for MXT patients as I asked her, and she said it wasnt an issue doing mine there, but the hospital say it is a hassle for some reason. Same with ordering MXT, that has to be done at hospital and I go all the way to the hospital to pick up a prescription. The patient doesnt appear to have much say here, its more of a do as your told situation!! My bloods are always good so there is no reason why I shouldnt get them done at local surgery.
Can I ask everyone, at what point following diagnosis/normalish bloods did you manage to get the GP to take over this aspect of the care? I know I would rather have long term rheummy care at hospital, but bloods and prescriptions mst be able to be more local.
Petra x

Reply to this

scouser

9 Feb 2012

hi petra, i have always been to the health centre for bloods but they said this was a new thing they are starting, the rheumy nurse told me that GP's have the option to opt out and that 80% of GP's have agreed to do bloods i suppose as with everything it all depends on what area you live in. i still go to clinic for consultant/specialist.
take care x

Reply to this

andrea-GN

9 Feb 2012

Hi, I get my bloods at my G.Ps they have a dedicated nurse that has done Rhumy training. She does most of the checks that are done at hospital clinic ie, weight, BP and urine testing. I find this so good as my G.
P is just round the corner.

Reply to this

helixhelix

9 Feb 2012

I wonder whether this varies by location? Here we go to hospital, and I have to say I prefer it as a walk-in service so I go when I want, and the phlebotomists are a lot better with the needles. When I've had it done at GP I've had to wait ages for an appt, and then nurse was quite painful...

Reply to this

petti1

9 Feb 2012

ok, thanks for this. Much appreciated. I have a GP appt at the end of feb I will see if the care can be changed over. Having said that it is true getting appts are difficult...hmmm, petrol money or delays. Mental struggle going on now lol!!

Reply to this

allanah

9 Feb 2012

I was told when I become stable they will do my blood checks at the GP surgery! I will save me a weekly 2 hour round trip so will be glad when things are under control with my meds.

Axx

Reply to this

Treesha

10 Feb 2012

I was told after 6 to 9 months after having monthly tests if all is stable I would be transferred back to the care of my gp. The only thing I worry aboutb is will I still get a copy of the results? Xxx

Reply to this

TildaT

10 Feb 2012

HI Scouser, I live on an island with no rheumy service/ team as such. I just go to GP or practice nurse for MTX tests and they don't take inflammatory markers unless asked to. I think they do have more knowledge of RA than your average GP probably just as they have more experience of obstetrics and many frontline situations because otherwise patients have to be air ambulanced to Aberdeen and the time lapse can be fatal for strokes etc. However I think the lack of expertiese is definitely a disadvantage and if it were me I'd rather have that than lose regular contact with your rheumy team but i guess it's swings and roundabouts really. TTx

Reply to this

scouser

10 Feb 2012

hi all,
Tilda i will still be with my rheumy team as nothing changes there, its just GP will do my bloods and monitor them.

Treesha dont worry yes the GP will still fill in your blood result book and all results still get e mailed to RA consultants.
the only thing im worried about is that the nurses from the lab who take my blood are very good, but i cannt see my GP being as good as my veins are not very good so i can see me having lots of bruises on my arms, but i will let you all know how i get on.
scouser x

Reply to this

LavendarLady Volunteer

10 Feb 2012

I have had mine done at the GP in the village since I was diagnosed and when I see my Rheumy consultant, he just takes a note of the results in my little booklet. I have mine done every month and if I am late booking the appt I get a reminder letter from the surgery. LavendarLady x

Reply to this

Shelley1701

10 Feb 2012

When I lived in Wolverhampton they had a blood clinic at the hospital so I used to go there as my GP's nurse was really bad with needles and the GP surgery were always misplacing the blood record book. When I moved to Cannock in Staffordshire the practice nurse was bad with needles so she would give me a blood form to take to the hospital then would fill my book in. Now I live in Leicester and I was getting my bloods done by a trained phlebotomist at my GP who is just down the road. Now they have stopped doing blood tests and farming them out to a medical centre 2 bus rides away so instead I go to a walk in service at he Glenfield Hospital. As for my results I never get to see them.

Reply to this

LavendarLady Volunteer

12 Feb 2012

Hi Shelley, you need to insist on seeing your blood results. They should be recorded in your blood booklet which you produce every time you have a blood test. LavendarLady x

Reply to this

Shelley1701

12 Feb 2012

I don't even have a blood booklet. I find RA care and management very lax here in Leicester. They say the blood results go to the consultant and the GP and they will let me know if anything is wrong but to be quite honest I wonder if either of them actually take the time to look at them.

Reply to this

mads

10 Feb 2012

HI Scouser The GP over in Nireland always do the blood testing.

Reply to this

Phoebe

10 Feb 2012

I always have to go to the hospital, half an hour in the car and pay for car parking. They have made a fortune out of me.
My GPs won't even do blood tests for ordinary ailments. They give you a form to take to the hospital. They don't have a phlebotomist. The nurse doesn't do bloods. Then you have to wait a week for the results.
Anything RA related? Please see the hospital.
Oh well!

Reply to this

LavendarLady Volunteer

12 Feb 2012

Hi Phoebe, I flatly refused to go to the hospital for blood tests. It is a round trip of 10 miles (not far I know) but the parking charges are horrendous even assuming you can find a parking spot.
So my GP surgergy does the blood tests. We have a very good phlebotomist there but if she is not available, one of the practice nurses will take the bloods. I leave my booklet with them and get it back a few days later with the results in. LavendarLady x

Reply to this

Jan66

10 Feb 2012

Hi, my local surgery has always done my blood tests, thank goodness, just a 2 minute drive up the road as opposed to 30 minutes to Guildford and their horrendous parking!!
Jan

Reply to this

Loret

11 Feb 2012

I can have my labs drawn at the Rheumy's office, but he prefers to have the results when he sees me, so , since I do not live in the same town, I can get them done at my local hospital and they FAX the results to the Dr's office, and also one copy to my GP.
Rheumy leaves a standing lab order for the entire year with the hospital lab, so I can stop by anytime and have them drawn before I see him.
, which is every 8 weeks.
When he sees me, if he needs to add any other tests, his Nurse practitioner FAX'es the order to my local hospital. He also orders perscriptions via his iPad to my local Pharmacy and by the time I get back in town, I can pick them up. Or they are delivered on Mon, Weds, and Fri.
This electronic age is getting way over my head. I used to try to keep up, but my grandkids are way more familiar with all those gadgets. But, they did give me a Kindle for Christmas! L xx

Reply to this

summer Volunteer

11 Feb 2012

I have always chosen to have mine done at the gp.. they are then sent to the hospital were I work to be tested and the results sent back to my gp

Reply to this

Jetblack

11 Feb 2012

Wish i could go to the gp and have mine done it has to be a trip to the local hotspital which is under the threat of closure for a normal 3 hour wait, due to go next week for my first bi monthly blood test, we don't have a nurse at my surgery much, so every blood test done at hospital. Oh well.

Reply to this

LavendarLady Volunteer

12 Feb 2012

Could you not ask if one of the GPs would take the bloods for you? Most of them know how to although some are a bit cack handed!
It might be worth seeing if the GPs have any plans to employ practice nurses particularly in view of the Health Bill going through parliament (or not!) which is giving more funds to GPs. LavendarLady x

Reply to this

Jetblack

14 Feb 2012

My Gp will not do it, that is what the hospital is for i was told. My GP surgery has practice nurseses but they are not there all the time, and some surgeries will not do blood tests, my surgery does not and the hospital it is, they are short staffed of GPs so have enough to cope with let alone blood tests.

Reply to this

Why join National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society on HealthUnlocked?

Community blog

27 comments

Leave a comment

Spread the word!

Popular tags in Blogs

Poll

Recent popular posts

Security

HealthUnlocked

Communities

Guidelines

Policies

©2012 HealthUnlocked