Reading through lots of posts on here about people having great difficulty with labs not testing what the doctors have asked them to test, made me wonder if the same labs serve both the NHS and the private community and if so is it in their best interests to refuse NHS tests in the hope that patients will cough up and pay for private testing.
I'm sure I read in a post that the NHS uses the same labs as the private companies in some cases.
Knitwitty
When I lived in the West Midlands we had to go to a local NHS hospital for all blood tests. Now I live in rural North Wales, the blood is drawn at the surgery and sent to the main NHS hospital 50 miles away. In both cases it's the hospital lab that carries out the testing.
I have seen that some private hospitals use the same labs as the private testing companies and that all labs they use are accredited, same as NHS labs.
There is City Hospital in Birmingham where their lab (City Assays) does the Vit D test for the general public but it's the only test they offer to the public.
Cheers for the information, I was just wondering if there was a link between lack of NHS testing and surge in private testing.
It seems that many of us have to resort to private tests because despite doctors requesting certain tests the labs seem to refuse to do them.
I doubt that is the reason. I’m not sure it’s as calculated as that and boy am I cynical. When my husband tells me I’m cynical I don’t think he means it as a compliment.
When my Graves was being treated T3 was in the list of tests requested by my consultant but the lab didn’t ever do it. Seems they decide whether to do it or not depending in other test results. Even if your endo has asked for it to be done.
I found it very difficult to get my B12 tested, my consultant eventually did it - family history - it came back ‘within the limits’ but it was only just so I bought my own B12. I never ever got them to test Vitamin D so I did my first vitamin D test with City Assays in Birmingham. I was also not impressed that should I relapse I would be given RAI and I hadn’t even had my T3 tested which was why I started doing my own tests.
Now that I’m in remission from Graves my surgery only does TSH - only TSH - even though one of the practise nurses commented about it later and said that having had Graves I should have had T4 done as well. She wasn’t impressed and said she would speak to the GP. The lovely lady has since left so perhaps she did! Anyway, that was only once a year, so I do my own thyroid 11 with Blue Horizons every now and again just to see what’s going on. I’ve found it is easier to do that than to either beg or argue for tests.
I dont think that is the reason. I think they just dont care. When I had multiple symptoms that suggested low VitD, the GP agreed and asked for the test. The lab refused saying the GP had not put forward a good reason. The GP took more blood and gave them an essay on why it should be tested. The test proved my VitD was in my boots. I did write to the hospital and thank them for keeping me ill for months, saying that if a GP makes the decision to ask for the test (and I think pay for it!), then it is not for some bod who has never met me to make the decision on my health. I did not get a response. They DO NOT care.
Another cynical view may be that if they test T3 and its low they may have to prescribe it for you.....
Hi for the last 4 months I have to travel to my endos hospital which is 40 miles away to get my full thyroid panel done as my Endo was sick to death of my local hospital only doing tsh, I've no longer had a problem since swapping hospitals, worth the travel. 🌟🌟
It's a bit scary isn't it, sometimes it can be very difficult to stand your ground when you are feeling so unwell. I think many sufferers can get fobbed off with inadequate treatment by both GP's and Endo's.
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