Blood tests to be rationed

[piglette]

From the Telegraph today:

DOCTORS have been ordered to stop non-essential blood tests as they face a global shortage of key equipment.

NHS England guidance to GPs and hospital doctors, issued yesterday, called for the rationing of tests across the health service until shortages of key test tubes are resolved.

[SheffieldJane]

You couldn’t make it up.

[piglette in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hopefully our blood tests will not be considered “non clinically urgent”, although I imagine vitamin D tests might be knocked on the head.

[LBM1953 in reply to piglette]

Vit D tests are already restricted. My GP said she couldn't get me one unless she lied on the form. They are now only available for seriously at risk patients not just at risk. Sent off for mine privately as PMRPROs recommendation for lab testing kits. Anyone ever use the home kits which give a result at home rathe than in the lab? Are they accurate?

[Koalajane]

I hope I can still get mine

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Is that the tubes used to put the blood sample into having extracted it from your arm?

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I assume it must be.

[AyJayBass in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, that's what I read.

[Umufu in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, it is not the plastic tube that is in short supply but the anticoagulant that goes inside to stop blood from clotting. What next??

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Umufu]

Well that means only SOME blood tests are affected - what's short, heparin? EDTA? And some tests are done on serum - gained from clotted blood (taken and put in a plain tube. Dear me - they might even have to get old-fashioned and play with testtubes

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I have managed to get the URL of the Telegraph article. digitaleditions.telegraph.c...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Strange - fairly sure the Midlands lab does vit D testing on the blotting paper samples. No need for tubes ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I suppose it will get clearer as time goes on or just disappear into a black hole.

[Bcol]

Be intereresting to know what they consider to be non-essential and will that be the individual doctors decision?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

You'd hope that they aren't doing non-essential things anyway!!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Exactly and given how hard it is to get any sort of treatment for any condition not just SLE it’s clear that GPs don’t and won’t do any thing THEY consider nonessential 😠

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

Indeed you would but my ever so slightly cynical hat suggests that thems' in power might, just possibly, have a different idea about what is non-essential

[Highlandtiger in reply to Bcol]

'Them in power' might just have a vested interest in encouraging people to book tests privately...

[Bcol in reply to Highlandtiger]

Ooh what a wicked thought!!!!!!!!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

Cynical? Us? Perish the thought ...

[jayemmemm]

I am due a blood test in 30 minutes. I'll ask at the surgery

[jayemmemm]

Back home now after blood tests. The surgery had not received any information about cutting down on blood tests.

[piglette in reply to jayemmemm]

I reckon no one has bothered to read the letter.

[piglette in reply to jayemmemm]

Have they heard about it yet? independent.co.uk/news/heal...

[jayemmemm]

Perhaps my surgery knows by now. I'll enquire next week WHEN I ACTUALLY HAVE A FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENT WITH MY GP. YIPPEE

[piglette in reply to jayemmemm]

Should be interesting!