Am I the only person who struggles to get my own blood results? When I used to get my bloods done by my local practice nurse she always printed off the previous results for me. Since I have been moved further down the corridor to the 'Blood Hub' it seems no body can print off my results. The receptionist says she can't access them.....I called the GPS and spoke to one who said she was 'very busy' and didn't know how to print them! I told her that another gp previously had actually simply asked the receptionist to print them and I collected them on my way out. I said I would collect them this week but went up today and nothing there! Do we not have a right to have our own results???
I am in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and I have always had resistance to give results.
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Tartanlady
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Hi! I live in Wales and the only way I can get my blood results when having my follow up telephone consultation with a specialist haematology pharmacist is to ask for each one individually. I think I am asking for all the relevant results but not sure as I have never been given a full report. Not satisfactory but just to tell you it's not only Scotland that seems to be reluctant to give patients their medical information in writing!
I have had no problem getting blood results printed out by either the practice nurse or the phlebotomist, depending who was doing it, so it is disappointing the new system at your practice is now resistant. They are also happy to print out the last letter from the consultant after checking a GP has read it and also probably that there is no disturbing information in it that a GP should discuss.
Your best move is probably to phone or write to the Practice Manager quoting the website. Recently wanting to read the consultant's letter before my next blood test (I was worried I'd misheard something at clinic) I wrote to ours asking for a copy, enclosed an SAE and it was back two days later. I can't find the site but I read somewhere else on NHS Inform that that was the best way to get records. My practice won't communicate electronically which would save a lot of time
I have tried unsuccessfully over the past 4 and a half years to get copies of my consultants letters to my GP but have had varying degrees of success. Its very frustrating!
Maybe when you next see the consultant, ask that they send you a copy of the letter they are sending to your GP. Or see if your GP practice has online access . (I do this for my mum and I can see everything. )
I agree- it appears elsewhere in the UK there are apps to download to see records but not in Scotland. It would save a lot of time for the professionals and ourselves if we could easily see blood results and letters etc. It might well be our 'right' but it's a lot of hassle in reality.
Wow I get sent a copy of the consultants letters but I’ve noticed over the last few months they don’t come as quickly as they used to and sometimes never
Others can best advise you about how to access your records in your jurisdiction of the NHS. As already stated by others, it is your record. You own the data. It is your legal right to have full access to everything in your record. It is ridiculous for staff to say they do not know how to print the data. It is as simple as hitting the print button when looking at a lab.
Unfortunately, access to data via the patient portal seems inconsistent in some places. I can access all of my labs current and past on the patient portals I use. I do not have to ask for them as I can see them on my own. This is one of the most basic functions of any patient portal. I can also see all reports, notes entered after appointments, and most everything else in my medical record whenever I wish. In the USA, I do not need to wait for a doctor to "release" the data. It is available as soon as it is posted (by law). That is as it should be as I own the data. It is mine to view whenever I wish.
Wishing you success in your quest for your medical information.
Can you access the NHS app in Scotland?.....I use this, and if I've had my bloods done at the GP surgery everything is available on there. If you've had them requested by the hospital they don't show. I have recently c ontacted the secretary at the GP surgery for these, and they are now able to send them to the NHS app as a document.Rachel x
No Rachel the NHS app in Scotland does not have this information it only contains a list of hospitals GP’s and Dentists it has very little functionality and is still in development.
I have to ask my consultant, and practically twist his arm up his back, to get my blood results printed off. You’d think it was a top secret that the Russians are after!
I can get results from GP tests via the NHS app on my phone. I’ve been trying to get access to hospital results and letters via the app but without success.
I had a lot of trouble getting permissions in the app before I got it to work. Nothing seems to be straight forward.
I too wonder why in this day and age why it’s so hard to get ‘hospital results’. I get mine sent out after each local haemotology consultation because I request it.
Like you, any tests done at the GPs I get full access to.
Notably, haemotology only send to GP the results of platelets, haematocrit, haemagloben and neutrophil counts, hence why I have to request full copy!
I am normally given my blood results over the phone when I have my appointment with the Haematologist. They then usually write a letter to my GP detailing the results and a brief summary of our conversation, and I get a copy. It takes many weeks but I get them in the end. You are entitled to see your own results - it seems it is down to people being too busy to help, which isn't really acceptable but the way things seem to be at the moment.
Is there an NHS app you can download that will give you access to your results? Even if they are not done at your GP surgery I would have thought that information would be passed on. If you can access your GP records online, then hopefully you may be able to see your blood results.
Afraid you cannot do that in Scotland as the app is in development. Why the Scottish government can’t just use the English app mystifies me. I suspect it’s just politics the nationalists like to do their own thing. It’s quite frustrating. 🙁
My GP practice and the hospital both have systems to allow you to get your results and limited medical records online. I had to get a user name and password from reception. The hospital system is easy, but the GP's 'app' is a pain to use. With the hospital programm I get my blood results a couple of hours after the test, and it is really useful to have them before the consultant appointment, so I can think first and work out what questions to ask in good time.
It took a bit of effort to find out how it worked and to get set up, but it was worth it. Before that I had the impression that the GP assumed that I had access.
I don’t think all hospitals have patient access, I did ask my local hospital awhile back and was told I couldn’t access blood test results, you’re one of the lucky ones.
It took perseverance to get it set up. It gets very confusing as there are separate means of communication for 1) blood test appointments; 2) test results; 3) letters; 4) consultant appointments. And that is just the hospital. I then have to use the NHS app for repeat prescriptions from the GP, and the surgery uses a separate app that I find really difficult to use for appointments, and it looks as if it is supposed to do other things that I haven't managed to work out.
Hi, Tartanlady. If you are having your bloods taken at the GP’s you should be able to access the results through the NHS App. If not the NHS App, there is another App “My GP” which shows my results under “Test results”. I’m in North of England but hopefully you should have thisApp in Scotland. My Haematologist gets the results before our telephone appointment. I also have instructions at Haematology thatI wish to have a copy of the Haemo’s letter to my GP and most times receive this. Occasionally have to chase it up. Good luck and hope the information already given by our friends on here will help.
Unfortunately as far as I know these apps aren't available from NHS Scotland. If anyone in Scotland has found them a lot of us would be grateful to know!
sorry to hear this. I thought at least the NHS one would be available throughout England,Scotland and Wales. I was born and brought up in Glasgow and came to N.E. Yorkshire when I got married.
NHS Scotland's computer system is completely separate from the English NHS one. Hopefully we will catch up in due course with the apps - just being able to email our GP practice would make a difference and being able to see blood result and letters would speed up clinic appointments as we would be able to work out questions in advance.
Hi, I'm under NHS England and this is my experience for what it's worth:
1. The haematology dept at the hospital I'm under controls everything and since diagnosis with PV in March 2020 my GP practice is not involved.
2. I go to a 'satellite' branch hospital near me to get my bloods done a few days before the approx. 3-monthly clinic call and I'm sent the blood card by haematology appointments to take with me. I go here mainly because it's a walk-in service and easy to get to.
3. In the clinic phone call I always ask whoever I'm speaking to (never the same person 2 sessions running!) for the main blood counts of HGB, HCT, PLT, RBC and WBC. There may be others checked but apart from a breakdown of white blood cells I've never seen any reference to others. Only once have I been asked why I wanted the data and told the person that it's my blood and so it's my data. The individual then started asking me questions and I felt I was being tested. All other times I'm given the data willingly. I keep records of these test results which has proved very useful recently when I needed to look back over time for historical information.
4. Although I can access data relating to my GP record there is nothing present for these blood tests because the practice hasn't requested it and so is not sent all the data by the hospital. There is no facility for me to access my hospital data records online and there appears to be no sophisticated link between the GP and hospital systems.
5. I am always sent a copy of the summary letter done by haematology to my GP which variably refers to the blood count data depending on which doctor has done it. This varies from no blood count data to some of the results I keep track of. I agree with Amethist that it would be useful for you to ask your hospital to send you a copy of anything they write to your GP. I would have thought this is standard practice everywhere in the NHS but clearly not.
6. Some of your difficulty may be caused by whoever does it and wherever your blood is actually analysed. Even though you're now under the 'blood hub' do you know if they do the analysis or is it sent away (as mine is)?
7. When you have your - I assume - regular clinic discussion with haematology following a blood test, can you not ask the person to tell you the blood test results so you can build up your own records? I would expect some kind of haematology clinic conversation following each blood test to review matters otherwise how will you know what's going on?
The system seems to be getting better but there’s definitely still a way to go. Im England and GP uses NHS app - I can see all results once it’s been reviewed by the GP (usually next day), local hospital (Haemotologist) are on patients know best. Usually get results within a couple of hours but the system will hold a couple back for 4 weeks - a quick email to the specialist nurse and she will look them up. Blood tests at Guys for MPN specialist- only see these when the numbers get to GP and copied to me - but the time I had these done they were reviewed in clinic almost immediately after.
GP can access local hospital blood results if they go look but Haemotologist can’t access GP records.
I copy all into one spreadsheet so it’s in one place and I can track it. Love a good spreadsheet!
Hi Tartanlady, that sounds very old school to say the least when doctors would never share your medical tests with you. I would keep pressing the issue. If they can see the results surely there is a way to have a copy for you.
All my doctors have a patient portal where I can see all results, many time earlier than they do. Can you get a copy of your medical records? This should be available to all patients. Be persistent!
I feel for you, I have the same problem in Tayside. It frustrates me that our NHS Scotland app is so useless. My Haematologist just tells me the previous platelet result and I have forgotten it by the time I get home. Someone here suggested photographing the screen the haematologist sees. I’m going to ask to do that next appointment. My haematologist could press the print button but the printer is some way from his office and he is reluctant to do this as he has to leave the clinic and pick it up.
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