Advice re. Churchill hospital

[friendofpiglet]

Can anyone who attends the Churchill hospital in Oxford give me a little guidance please.

I have been referred to haematology there and have an appointment in late May. I will have to drive to get there (a round trip of about 70 miles) and I understand that parking there is pretty hellish. So if anyone has any suggestions I’d be grateful.

I also have a blood test request from them that bears no resemblance to anything I’ve seen before, being a polythene bag and a couple of labels. Is this normal? It means I will have to go there a week before my appointment, which has the advantage of my being able to gauge how driving and parking might work on the day.

Thanks in anticipation,

Andy

[MckChelly]

Hi, I attend the Churchill a couple of times per year and yes, the blood from is like that. You can't even see what tests they're doing. They scan the bar code to see what they need. They should send you a map of the site. This shows you a selection of various car parks around the site. I've never had a problem getting parked there, good luck.

[friendofpiglet in reply to MckChelly]

Thanks for that. I have the map and I guess I'll find out how the parking works when I go for the blood test. If it's a problem, I can use park and ride and a bus when I have the consultation.

[Ginevra in reply to friendofpiglet]

I also attend the Churchill but am near enough to cycle there. I only drove once when I had my bone marrow biopsy. It was an early appointment and there was plenty of parking. It does fill up later in the day.

I get sent the blood test forms too but usually have the tests done at my GP, which is more convenient. At the Churchill bloods are done at a drop-in place and it’s first come first served. You can easily wait over an hour. You might check if you can have the tests at your local GP to save the round trip and the waiting time but perhaps this only works if you are local.

The Churchill is brilliant by the way. I feel very lucky to be treated there. All the best! Sarah

[friendofpiglet in reply to Ginevra]

Thanks. I'll check up on the blood test but I suspect that being in a different health authority it won't be an option.