Skip to main content
Banner image for

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Julia Lopez
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Hornchurch and Upminster
  • In Parliament
  • Contact
  • Coronavirus Advice

Update on Blood Testing

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 6 October, 2020
BHRUT

For a number of weeks constituents have been contacting me to advise of their concerns at the delays they have been experiencing when seeking a blood test. As was noted in a recent update, I have raised this issue in discussion with a local GP and also in a meeting with the Chief Executive of the Barking, Havering & Redbridge NHS University Trust (BHRUT). You may view my update following this initial discussion here – https://www.julialopez.co.uk/news/meeting-tony-chambers-bhrut

Prior to these earlier discussions, I had raised the matter in correspondence with the BHRUT and another local hospital trust, the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NEFLT), who is responsible for the provision of community and mental health services in Havering. This includes some phlebotomy (blood) services. I have attached at the bottom of this webpage a copy of the response that I received this morning from the Chief Executive of NELFT, Professor Oliver Shanley OBE, outlining some of the steps NELFT are taking to improve blood testing capacity locally.

I was pleased to note that the opening hours of all NELFT phlebotomy clinics in Havering have been expanded to include both morning and afternoon sessions which will increase capacity locally. While this additional capacity is welcomed, as Professor Shanley has acknowledged, NELFT are also experiencing additional demand for these services.

Waiting times are currently longest at Elm Park Health Centre, where there is currently only one phlebotomy chair operating however Professor Shanley has advised that NELFT are planning to add an additional chair within the Health Centre for three months to help reduce the waiting time whilst a long-term solution for phlebotomy services provided by GPs is agreed.

NELFT is also planning to re-start the phlebotomy clinic from Cranham Health Centre once the building has been declared Covid-secure.

Although NELFT has been encouraging patients to book at any of the NELFT 14 phlebotomy sites in BHR to secure an earlier appointment if they can travel, they have been working closely with CCGs to address the increase in demand as part of a BHR-wide collaborative response. This included forming a BHR-wide Executive Working Group to oversee the entire phlebotomy position. Currently, BHR CCGs are finalising arrangements to enable GP practices to provide in-house phlebotomy services from late September with some practices already starting to provide services from 14 September. As noted in my last update on this topic, I am aware that some GPs have expressed concerns at the form of these arrangements which I have already referred to the CCG for their comment. I will provide a further update on this topic as soon as I receive a response from the CCG.

I am pleased that NELFT, CCGs, and other phlebotomy providers are reviewing current services to agree a long term plan for BHR phlebotomy provision. They aim to complete this review and propose a new service model by the end of February 2021. This will require a public consultation and Professor Shanley OBE expects the new service will be in place from April next year.

I hope this information is reassuring to constituents, and we are continuing to liaise with local residents and GPs to discuss their further concerns regarding the provision of phlebotomy services within Havering and BHRUT. Any further updates will of course be shared online.

Attachments

Attachment Size
NELFT Blood Testing 71.24 KB
  • Articles

You may also be interested in

Hancock

A focus on healthcare and community services

I am campaigning for:

The fast delivery of a new health centre in Hornchurch - the St George's Health & Wellbeing Hub - to improve community care and reduce pressure on Queen's

Vaccine Fraud Poster

Julia warns Havering Residents to watch out for Vaccine Fraud

Thursday, 14 January, 2021

Fraudsters are targeting elderly and vulnerable people with a vaccine scam as it emerged that people are being asked by scammers for bank details or cash payments for access to vaccines that are fake or non-existent.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News
  • Written Questions News

Julia Lopez MP for Hornchurch & Upminster

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Julia Lopez MP
  • In Parliament
.
Copyright 2020 Julia Lopez MP for Hornchurch & Upminster. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree