Yet another mess...

[serenfach]

I am coming to the end of my B12 pills and being on the lower pension and every penny counts, wondered if I needed to reorder. So I phoned the surgery to request a blood test, and was told the GP would phone me back. So far, so good. A GP phoned, introduced herself as the new GP at the surgery. I explained what I would like and she wanted me to come in for an examination, but I said why not do the blood test first and then the examination. She kept interrupting me saying "yes yes, yes yes" all the time. She then asked me if I was still taking the calcium pills. I told her I dont take calcium pills and never have. "Yes yes, yes yes". Anyway, she said she would arrange the blood test and include a Vit D test. (I knew this would not happen), but I had to phone back to arrange a date and time. So I did and today I went for the test.

The surgery is a 20 minute drive away, and parking is hell. Anyway I was called in by the nurse whom I have known for ages, to be told she is just doing TFT and nothing else. I told her the test was arranged for the vits and not the thyroid, and I did not want or need a thyroid test. She said that was what she was going to do, as the computer said and the GP obvously had not filled in something. So I stood up, put my coat on, and quietly said I needed to see the practice manager. Her response shocked me as she said I could not speak to her in that manner. I had been calm and polite, she said she felt threatened.

She then got a form, filled it in to do the Vits and added a blood count, and then the TFT. I said I refuse the TFT test as I had taken my pills two hours before and this would throw out the results, which would be in black and white for ever. She took the blood with a sour look on her face. Who was I to challenge her!

Turns out the new GP is a locum. So if they do do the thyroid test when they were expressly told not to, and therefore did not have consent, anyone know how I stand legally?

When I got home. I took my frustration out by shifting some muck - 4 barrow loads before I felt calm! So something good came of it! Sorry to rant and thanks for listening.

Oh, and I have a massive bruise now on my arm!

[Sparklingsunshine]

I remember reading about this on the forum and couldnt find consensus, obviously for any medical procedure you have to give consent, but allowing them to take blood is implied consent from you. I'm not sure that what they do it with it afterwards and what they test it for needs any consent from you, if that makes sense. Obviously the nurse should have crossed out the thyroid bloods but the lab might have tested them anyway. Morally they are in shaky ground if you've protested but legally? I'm not sure.

I had the same issue at my local blood taking unit. I booked in, sat with my paper forms, noticed they'd duplicated the thyroid bloods even though I'd had them done just a few weeks before. I wasnt there for thyroid and I'd taken my meds.

I immediately told them I'd have to cancel and phoned my surgery and told them the thyroid bloods were a mistake. They removed them and I had to rebook, a big pain but better than having a thyroid test dropped on you.

If they test your TFT and comment on it just tell them you took a large dose of biotin and its an inaccurate result. Or you've got brain fog and accidentally doubled your dose 🤣. I've noticed if you're a middle aged woman doctors already think we're doolally.

[HealthStarDust]

Consent is not valid if you have refused the test and they test anyway.

[serenfach]

Thanks. I will phone for the results on Friday (nurse said it would be at least a week but it has always been around 3 days) and take it from there.

It still annoys me that the nurse got her knickers in a twist because I pointed out someone else had made a mistake. If it takes a patient saying NO to make her feel threatened, she should go and work in an A+E department for a day!

[elwins]

do you have the NHS app as all consultations are listed so you can check what was agreed, every time my surgery logs anything it comes up on my NHS app.

[Zephyrbear in reply to elwins]

Unfortunately, the NHS app in Wales is about as much use as a chocolate fire guard… you don’t get any records, blood test results or even an opportunity to make an appointment! All you can do (and even this is becoming a lottery) is order a repeat prescription of your meds. Bloody useless!

[elwins]

sorry you have problems, we must be lucky.

[serenfach]

Results were back but the GP had not read them, so have to wait until Monday. They did the thyroid test... you may here a strange sound over in the west on Monday...