Sending Medicheck by recorded delivery

[Katrina999666]

I'm going to have my blood drawn tomorrow early morning to send off to Medi check for full Thyroid panel as well as vitamins.

They enclose an envelope which they say is tracked but I wondered if I would be better to send it by recorded signed for delivery and would this be a problem due to the covid situation and handling of blood samples by the post office I was going to put it in the envelope provided and then in another envelope.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I think you can just send it in the envelope they give you...but need to take it to post office to post it

Obviously if you don’t want to risk it. You can pay extra and send special delivery

[Katrina999666 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Katrina999666

If there's a large "Tracked 24" label on the pink envelope, you just put it in the post box to catch that day's post (make note of the tracking number on the label before you post it). You don't hand it over the Post Office counter. I did one last week and posted on Tuesday, arrived on Thursday. It's not guaranteed to get there in 24 hours but it is a priority postal service, supposed to be better than normal first class.

Don't bother with recorded signed for. They are not asking for signatures in the current circumstances anyway, and recorded will be no different from Tracked 24, they both have tracking numbers and are scanned.

If you want to guarantee it will get there next day you will have to go to the Post Office counter and pay for Special Delivery Guaranteed Next Day by 1pm.

[Katrina999666 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks I will make a note of the tracking number no point in sending and paying for Recorded if no signature at the other end and I can track its delivery.

[Lora7again]

You just need to track it

royalmail.com/track-your-it...

[Katrina999666]

Thanks

[BShankly]

Hi Katrina.

Firstly, Hope you are well.

I thought the same thing as I was anxious to get my results quickly.

In short, I was more than a bit frustrated with both Royal Mail and Medichecks on this.

I sent my bloods for 9am Guaranteed next Day delivery on a Wednesday for a Thursday delivery. It cost £22. When it never arrived until after 12 noon I checked the Royal Mail website which stated in small text that 9am was not guaranteed due to COVID. That I understand, but no-one told me at the Post Office counter.

Then.

The Medichecks website highlights a 2 day turnaround for results. Which was the reason I went with them. In reality, it’s 2 days from when they receive your bloods and when you factor in the weekend, my blood results took 5 days.

I’m grateful for any help understanding what’s happening to me, so I don’t wish to sound petty. But I paid over £120 for 2 premium and private services but felt more than a bit frustrated and misled.

Hope that helps?

B.

(I should add, my NHS blood results were back in less than 24 hours.)

[Goldengirl01 in reply to BShankly]

I always send mine on a Monday or Tuesday so well clear of weekend plus they do state not to send just before weekend so it doesn’t sit in postbox.

[BShankly in reply to Goldengirl01]

Hi Dustpan. Yes, you’re right, sending bloods at the start of the week is better. But I felt having read a 2 day turnaround, and getting my bloods there for Thursday would have been ok.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to BShankly]

BShankly

The time it takes for results to be available relies on a couple of things - the number of tests being performed and whether or not you ask for doctor's comments.

I never have doctor's comments, even for anyone who can't interpret their own results, it's better to post them here for experienced members to comment.

I posted my sample on Tuesday, I had an email to say it arrived on Thursday morning, I had an email onThursday afternoon to say my results were available. I had the Thyroid Monitoring test so just TSH, FT4 and FT3. Yours was the Ultravit bundle which includes 10 tests so would take longer anyway and if you opted for doctor's comments that adds another day.

[BShankly in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie. Thanks.

[Katrina999666 in reply to BShankly]

BShankly thanks I ended up going into the Main Post office spoke to the Postmaster and he said it was a tracked service so I wouldn't gain anything by upgrading unless like you I paid for next day delivery but at the moment there was no guarantee on that. So I decided just to hand over the envelope he gave me proof of posting and it's now on it's merry way to Medicheck. Like you I am keen to find out what I am needing to supplement and although cost is a factor for us all I'm prepared to try and find out as quickly as possible I don't have the patience of a saint so my husband tells me lol .... just a pity we have to go to these lengths to find out instead of the NHS doing comprehensive testing. I hope you got some answers from your Blood panel

[Mionaonthehill]

Last time I sent back my Medichecks sample a month ago using their return envelope, it took so long to get the results I thought it had got lost. I contacted Medichecks and they said blood samples can still be used up to 5 days after taking the sample. The results then came through about two days later.

[lisabax]

In the Covid pandemic the Post Office have special post boxes for covid samples (see below second paragraph applies to other samples)

“You may be asked to post your sample in one of over 30,000 specially selected Royal Mail priority postboxes. You can find your nearest priority postbox on Services Near You or on the Royal Mail app.

We are also supporting other organisations return completed kits to testing centres through our Medical Sample Returns service.”

Their website is quite helpful in finding your nearest priority post box. Most main post offices have them as well as sub post offices. Don’t expect a separate post box though, as I did, you just put it in the normal box at that location.

[NWA6]

I need a venous draw, I’ve been waiting for Covid to settle. Did you have any issues with options on where you could go?

[Katrina999666 in reply to NWA6]

I think there are clinics still operating according to the Medicheck website but I am fortunate my husband is a Paramedic so it was done in house lol

[Marymary7]

Results are also quicker if you select that you do not require the Medicheck doctors opinion on your results.

Make sure you have not taken any Biotin supplements ( its in B complex) in the last week will ruin/effect the test.

[Harley4]

I did the Medichecks Ultra vit test last week. Sent the sample back in the envelope they provided on Wednesday morning (just dropped it in my local post box) and I had the results with doctor's comments on Friday. No issues at all.

[Katrina999666 in reply to Harley4]

Thanks

[FancyPants54]

I always send mine back Tracked service. Just take it in the supplied envelope and ask to upgrade to the service you want.

It is an especially good idea at the moment. I ship customer orders daily for my business. The Royal Mail services are prone to being slow at the moment. Only the tracked ones are moving properly.

[Katrina999666 in reply to FancyPants54]

Thanks

[TSH110]

Send it Royal Mail special delivery which is insured, properly tracked and guaranteed next day delivery. Recorded is not comprehensive at all so avoid it.

[Katrina999666 in reply to TSH110]

Thanks

[Katrina999666]

Thanks I went into the main Post Office the Postmaster said that as the return envelope is tracked already it is scanned into the system I asked if upgrading the postage would make a difference and they said it really wasn't worth doing it as unless like you say I sent Registered post service it wouldn't get there any quicker so I decided to send it in the original return envelope the Postmaster took it from me and gave me a receipt for proof of postage so fingers crossed it will arrive without any issue and if not I have proof of posting in the event of it not arriving at the destination.

[Katrina999666]

Fast turn around using Medi check posted blood draw sample on Monday and I received test results Wednesday