Blood test results

[misschris]

Good Morning All,

Sorry to bother you but I feel the need to rant. I have just rang my gp receptionist to request print out of bloods I had done on 1/5/20, receptionist asked me to ring her back in an hour as she needed to ask gp if it was ok, anyway she rang me back saying I have to write in to request them and why I want them, this has not happened before, mind you I have only asked on two other occasions and I requested them over the phone, one of them only recently. I asked why do I have to write in when I haven’t had to do that before, I was told that I should of written in the other times, how am I to know that if the other staff take requests over the phone.

I am not a happy bunny having to explain myself 😡

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You do not need to say why you want your test results

It’s always best to get either printed copies or online access...less likely to get mistakes than receptionist reading results over phone

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

In reality many GP surgeries still do not have blood test results online yet

[misschris in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon,

I was so annoyed this morning when I was told that I had to put it in writing to request them and the reason why.

My thoughts were that i shouldn’t have to give them a reason and felt like they are treating patients like children by getting them to say why they want them.

I have to hand it in between 5-6pm today.

I do have online access but they don’t support the blood tests online as yet.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to misschris]

I would give as my reason "Because the law says I am entitled to them without giving a reason"

[misschris in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

That is exactly what I am going to say (write) for my reason....I think they have a cheek even asking why you want them grrrrr!!

[misschris]

I will deffo add that about discrepancy between different receptionists.

I honestly have been fuming about this.

I work with vulnerable people and have to take them on GP appointments and have never once been questioned on why we request copies, they happy to print them off for you.

I have also asked for certain brands of medication as I am sensitive to certain brands, ie TEVA and Actavis, am good on Mercury Pharma and wockhart, they told me that they can’t give me preferential treatment over other patients, the chemist told me that they do it for some patients.

I have been lucky so far with my chemist as they have managed to get them brands but they have told me they only get what’s on the van so to speak, it’s a blinking minefield with my gp. 😡

[misschris]

Just to clarify, my GP can put on prescription Mercury Pharma when prescribing Levothyroxine?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to misschris]

Yes ....it’s perfectly possible to have brand specified on prescription

Not every pharmacy will honour it ...even then, so you still need to always double check the brand is correct before leaving pharmacy

[misschris in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon, I think I have to write a letter to them to say why I can't have certain brands, just wish you could be tested to see if you react to certain ingredients/binders, that would be helpful.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to misschris]

It's well known by thyroid specialist endocrinologists that different brands are not bio-equivalent

Many people would have less symptoms if always had same brand....once they work out which suits them best

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to misschris]

Read conclusion on here

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

[misschris in reply to SlowDragon]

Will have look at that later, seems quite a bit to read 🤓

[misschris]

Thanks Scrumbler 😉

[misschris]

Scrumbler, my pharmacy have been really supportive of my meds needs, it was them that told me that the GP can put named brand on script and then they can get them no bother, otherwise if it’s not on the deliveries then I’d have to go elsewhere, after me asking gp and they said couldn’t give me preferential treatment I went back chemist they told me that they do it for other patients, my head was scrambled. I’ve been saying it for too long now but once this situation has changed am changing doctors.

[Oatcake]

In one GP practice we had to fill in a form requesting access to medical records and provide proof of identity every time we wanted copies of blood test results. They claimed it was to do with the handling of personal data under GDPR. They also charged for the photocopies, which is reasonable.

We have since changed practices and the receptionist happily supplies printouts on request and even puts them in an envelope all free of charge and done with a smile.

It seems to be a local practice management decision.

[misschris in reply to Oatcake]

isnt it just so much easier and friendlier to have surgeries who cooperate without being asked the third degree 🤷‍♀️

[Oatcake in reply to misschris]

😁

[Fruitandnutcase]

I just ring my practice and say I’d like a copy of my results then go down in the afternoon when they are quiet and collect them. No problem. I noticed though that the name of the receptionist who prints them off for me is shown on them. Looks like a way of checking up on the receptionists too. I’ve never had to give a reason but ‘I’m legally entitled to have a copy of all my results and I want it’ is all they need to know. There shouldn’t even be a charge although I’ve heard of some places that charge.

[misschris]

Good Morning All,

Angel_of_the_North Fruitandnutcase Oatcake SlowDragon Hidden

Just an update, I sent my letter in and got phone call this morning to collect my results between 5-6pm today. I did request that we should be able to access this online but because of current situation the surgery can’t do anything until everything is back to normal.

Thank you All for replying to me 🙏🏻😘😘

[misschris]

I will once we get back to normality 🤪

[misschris]

Who knows 🤣🤣