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NHS UK cuts back on blood tests


I had a routine, monitoring test, on Tuesday, with no mention of shortages. Of course, that could be different today.

I can't imaging urgent bloods would be deferred.
 
I have heard it's the vials that are in short supply as well as my favourite strawberries!(none in my local!)
 
I went for my hbA1c today plus the FBC and everything else the do.. mentioned the shortage to my hospital and they said they were OK.. maybe its regional ?

I blame the HGV drivers
 
searley said:
I went for my hbA1c today plus the FBC and everything else the do.. mentioned the shortage to my hospital and they said they were OK.. maybe its regional ?

I blame the HGV drivers
Click to expand...
Well it looks like it has changed since you went today!
 
searley said:
I read the article this morning before going to the hospital

so maybe some hospitals struggling more than others
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The independent article? I saw earlier news saying there was a problem, the more recent seems to have told all of England to stop, to help all regions I guess

still, not good
 
searley said:
I went for my hbA1c today plus the FBC and everything else the do.. mentioned the shortage to my hospital and they said they were OK.. maybe its regional ?

I blame the HGV drivers
Click to expand...
An explanation, there are 2 types of blood collecting systems - monovette and vacutainer. I have so far been unable to find which one has the shortages. The hospital laboratory equipment decides which is used, both in hospital and community.
 
I am surprised that a Tory donor with no experience of manufacturing anything similar hasn't been contracted to fill the shortfall for 10 times the usual price.
 
I went for a blood test at the surgery at 8.30 am today and mentioned to the phlebotomist about vial shortages I heard about on the news. She hadn't heard. By the time I got home 30 minutes later I'd had the text cancelling all further non-urgent tests. I'm hoping that, as my blood is already occupying a vial, it will get tested
 
I’ve just come out of hospital after a four day stay, I wish they’d told the Drs there to ration the tests, I might then have less bruises from the daily, sometimes twice daily tests!

Edit for typo
 
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