A NEW blood test awareness campaign wants to give control back to patients.
‘You choose where and when’ is the message NHS Coventry and Warwickshire pathology services is promoting when it comes to having blood tests taken.
Due to increased demand, there are now more than 40 sites across Coventry, Rugby and North Warwickshire where people can have their blood taken for NHS tests.
Coventry and Warwickshire pathology services was the first to offer NHS blood tests in local pharmacies and is now working with 23 pharmacy partners.
Appointments can be pre-booked online in many locations.
Joanne Nicholson from the pathology service said: “In the past five years we have seen a 30 per cent increase in the number of blood samples being tested.
“To help meet that demand and to provide more flexibility for patients, we have trained more than 50 phlebotomists and placed them at a range of sites across the region, such as medical practices and pharmacies.”
The phlebotomists are all part of the same NHS team, so patients can expect the same level of care as they would receive in a hospital.
The time taken to receive results remains the same, but the team hope that with more people using the community services, test waiting times and urgent requests will be better managed.
Visit www.uhcw.nhs.uk/bloodtests to find out more about blood test services across Coventry, Rugby and North Warwickshire.
