TOPIC: Blood tests by post in the UK

Thanks to Wilko for this find:


bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/epages/89289b9...bjectPath=Categories


You receive a kit by post, so still have to get your red stuff extracted. Then return the sample in the packaging provided, postage paid. A VL test costs £169.35 including referral.

I don't recognise all the facilities on the list of labs page, but the ones I do recognise are reputable. The Doctors Lab is the one Pall Mall Medical use.

hi, yes very useful resource, depending where in the UK you live they have private labs & hospitals nearby where you can book your tests. I hope it works as they say it does, if so it does look most straightforward.
This is my backup plan if my GP or consultant is not willing to do my tests on the NHS.
I remember talking with London Girl about this as she had some experience dealing with them.

I used Blue Horizon recently. They sent me to a Squire hospital for tests and said 7 working days for results. Full bloods plus AST £143. Around the last day of waiting, I had a feeling I wasn't going to get my results in the promised time, so I got in touch so I didn't have to wait another weekend, they said they had received my blood test results back early but were waiting for a GP to look at them as some of my bloods were 'out of limits' . I told them there was no need as I know I have a chronic illness and my consultant would be looking at them, they agreed to send them over. Nothing arrived. So I spent the next day having the same conversations and after the usual having to be firm bit, they moodily agreed to email them to me. When I received them, the results had come through the same day that I had the blood test! so they had hung onto them for over a week. I can only think they were hoping to sell me a private appointment or something, why else would they hold onto them?

When I saw the consultant last week, he asked 'Where did you get these blood tests done'? and added a hmmmm when I told him. Who knows ? Don't know who to trust these days.

When I looked up where they had tested the bloods, it was a student blood testing place at a University.
It was all a little odd. Bloods testing looked ok to me with my limited knowledge, but comparing them to the hospital ones, the higher limits were slightly lower, so they show up more bloods as 'out of normal limit' - Maybe to tempt you to seek private medical advise? Not really sure, but it was all a little odd and adds the usual stress on having to chase up to what should be a simple transaction.

They actually state on their website that results often come back the same day. Maybe they were angling for a further consultancy by not releasing your results straight away. But I'd lean more toward poor admin, which is rife throughout the UK health sector. Not that it's any excuse for the poor service that you received.

I would be astonished if the results were altered/doctored. The labs certainly wouldn't do that, and Blue Horizon would be finished (and It's senior management prosecuted) if only one instance of this was exposed.

What's really surprising is that a reptable, high-end private hospital group like Spire is using students to analyse it's blood samples. I suspect that most, if not all of Blue Horizon's postal work is analysed by The Doctors Lab. That's certainly where their viral load tests are done, and the half-a-dozen others that I looked at.

Hi Alsdad - I wasn't suggesting they'd 'doctored' them - Many labs vary, but I noticed these ones upper limits were lower than two other lab results I've had previously. Yes, they may well have been angling for a further consultancy. They promised they would send and then didn't. I wanted them to take to my hospital appointment, so they delaying tactics were rather irritating . Basically, they didn't want to release them until a GP had looked at them. I suggested, seeing as they were electronic results, they could email them to me and still send them to the Dr if they insisted.

Yes, Think I could be mistaken re students,, possibly university & a brain fog moment there as when I type in the search that's what comes up Just looked up again, can't actually find exact place of lab but it isn't The Doctors Lab. Will persevere and see if I can find out but I'm different area to Pall-Mall anyway.. Consultant also queried, so something was a little different. to usual I felt.

Maybe it also depends on the area where you live ?, maybe in London which has enormous population you do wait longer but in other parts of UK you don't ? I looked it up in my area & the private hospital where they take the bloods is around the corner here, so ideal for me to do the tests if my consultant & GP would not want to support me.
I never used this company before, but have been to that hospital a few times & the service was always excellent plus they serve free tea & coffee! so def. worth the trip.

Yes, rather plush where I went too, like a hotel really.
May as well have nice surroundings as much as possible

ps not wanting to put anyone off, but wouldn't be fair not to share !

Hi LG, I think we may be slightly at cross-purposes. What I was trying to say is that if you use their 'walk-up' service, your bloods will be drawn and tested by and through the clinic/hospital that you walk into. And you will be subject to whatever follow-up practices that clinic/hospital has in place? But if you use the postal service, your bloods will go to The Doctors Lab (confirmed through a search of the Blue Horizon site), where they will simply be analysed and results sent to Blue Horizon. TDL is a first class, fully accredited facility.

Ah I see!
My apologies. Was just sharing my BH experience.
I seem to be complaining a lot re experiences on here of late
people must think I'm a moaning mini !
But my experience wasn't great with BH or the Squire if the truth be known.
Seem to have had a run of it of late.
Thinking now, it could be the Squire side of things.
But BH were definitely awkward re releasing results.

Anyway, some questions if you don't mind?
so you get your bloods taken locally then post?

I did look at that option on BH, but couldn't find AST available on this option. AST was a separate test and sample goes elsewhere Also believe the sample for AST has to be frozen or some special measures anyway?
Also, can you choose where you get your blood taken or do they allot a place?
Not sure I can face Squire again.
They took just under an hour to take my bloods,
Calling a Dr to help after quite a few attempts.
Dr came, used a drip and was 'squeezing blood out of my arm with her hands above the torniquet, a slow process!
They tried my hand , both arms etc I came out bruised and looking like a Christmas decoration with all the cotton wooll and tape stuck on me!

It may be helpful to note that BH said to fast and only small sips of water the morning of the test.
I followed those instructions.
When the medics couldn't get blood they told me off for being dehydrated, I pointed out they had said only small sips of water. They said in future make sure you're well hydrated for any blood tests. Nurses & Dr said they tell you only sips of water because they don't want you drinking coffee, but water is fine. After all that Dr said to nurse 'Well done' but I don't get a well done I was quite shaken after this experience.

The postal option sounds better if you can choose your venue - I always prefer a proper blood place where they're doing it all day, they never seem to have any trouble getting my blood at those places, the NHS hospital ones eg but when I see a nurse who does a few here and there and isn't just a taking blood person, I seem to have problems. I am small though and have small veins too.
The hydration tip may be handy? Nurses said not enough water in my blood. I have never heard this before , wonder what a Dr would say about that?

Ps Jolie, bloods weren't taken in London

LG - I can confirm that bloods go easier if you drink a lot of water beforehand, eg. a pint glass about one hour before. Downside is you will also need a loo nearby. The hospital blood nurses confirmed this to me. If your blood goes slowly, ask for one of the smaller blue butterfly needles to be used, not the larger green butterflies. My veins have the wierd propensity to just collapse half way through and it's all over. Since I started these two things I never had any trouble. It's been easy.
dt

Thank-you DT, you are always so understanding and helpful.

Yes, we tried butterfly, I always suggest but often ignored until there is a problem, on this occasion they didn't work, drip was big! I think just under an hour has been my worst yet!

Great to have confirmation re water, thanks , will definitely take this on board.

LG

Alsdad - I looked at the PCR you posted - thanks for that, very useful.
It does not say anything on it about the sensitivity of the test used by The Doctor's Lab.
For example, an old PCR of mine says "range of detection 12 - (very large number) IU/ml HCV RNA" meaning that the quantitative figure is accurate down to 12 IU/ml.
Do you know what sensitivity is used by The Doctor's Lab?

Also, my question is the same as LG's - to use the postal service for a PCR, where would I go to get the blood drawn? I am thinking why couldn't I do it myself? I am not a medical person and I don't fancy doing it myself, but yaknow, I'm sick of dicking around with the medical profession and the endless questions about why I want to do what I want to do and my medical history since the year dot.

dt

Yes, the sensitivity of the PCR test was another of my questions.
I have read these can vary too.
Maybe one of us should email an enquiry?
It would be great to know if it's good.

On more investigation, I think the bloods could've been tested at Squire hospitals own lab, it really is rather vague.
That could explain why the results came back a few hours later?
It doesn't explain why BH took another week or so to agree to release my results to me though.
Also, got turnaround times wrong, it was 5 'working days' -It was a 'challenge' to get results 7 days after test, emails ignored, resorted to online chat. Staff not exactly friendly.

All this is very helpful though, it's not like we have a good affordable choice here in England!

I will post any other possibilities I may find. A helpful subject..

Read that full bloods in Spain can cost as little as 40Eu privately. Lots of cheap tickets in winter, maybe a nice short trip & cheap accommodation to combine with blood tests? Why are things so much here? I was quoted £650+ for Full bloods at London private hospital, incl. PCR . Seen an AD for quality PCR in USA for $29.50 !

According to the BH website, all their postal blood tests go to The Doctors Lab for analysis. My own viral load tests were done there through Pall Mall, and I phoned TDL to find out what the lower limit was for the test. I'm pretty sure it was 12. TDL are fine to deal with on the phone if anyone wants any small print/ test procedure clarifying.

Wrt blood-drawing, BH send you a kit. It's entirely up to you how you get the red stuff extracted, and you send the sample back to them.

Thanks Alsdad, this is the kind of thing I have been looking for, so really helpful

Not much longer for you on tx, eh. I am quietly hoping very much for your success,
dt