Blood test requests

[mrs mtx]

Our private consultant requested our local consultant do lots of blood tests as he's never had any. This was a year ago. Our local consultant retired as soon as we asked (he also had letter from private consultant). We then saw the new consultant who didn't really take the blood request seriously apart from coeliac testing. He said as soon as he's back on wheat for 6 weeks then they'd do the coeliac and then may as well test for other things at the same time.
I was in no rush as a diagnosis of coeliac meant no difference to us as just being allergic.
Anyway a year on we trialled wheat and started off ok but as the weeks have gone on his reflux has got worse and now his nappies are explosive.

Anyway I work in the hospital and I usually just pop up to the consultant office for prescriptions, if he's getting worse etc. I've been going up the last week to find out today he's working in another hospital until the end of next week.
I phoned the children's ward explaining I really need to take him off wheat as he's getting so poorly but seems a shame not to get the blood test after we've gone through all this (I'm really not fussed on the coeliac but I want the other tests but this is the only way).
They said they'd ask the secretary to contact him and see if he could be fitted in this week.

I've just had a very arsey call off the secretary saying he'll be back end of next week so she'll request the test but I explained I'm not prepared to keep him this poorly until then and the whole point was to get him fitted in.

She said a blood test cannot be done without the consultants request even though it's on his notes and there are other paediatric consultants and registrars there.

Is this correct or should I keep fighting?

 

[Mrs Holwell]

Any consultant or registrar can request the test. Although to be fair they don't like to tread on each others toes without personal knowledge of the patient. Might be worth a visit to your GP (they should have copies of the letters) and ask them to print off a request form so you can take him to a paediatric phlebotomist at the local hospital for the blood to be taken. I would request an emergency appointment for Rhys with your GP and explain the situation. Some of it may be that the NHS Consultants get a bit sniffy about requests from private consultants to be carried out on the NHS. Stick with it and if necessary make a nuisance of yourself as this is the ideal time for the test to be carried out. Good luck and keep us posted. Hope the wee man is better soon.

 

[mrs mtx]

Any consultant or registrar can request the test. Although to be fair they don't like to tread on each others toes without personal knowledge of the patient. Might be worth a visit to your GP (they should have copies of the letters) and ask them to print off a request form so you can take him to a paediatric phlebotomist at the local hospital for the blood to be taken. I would request an emergency appointment for Rhys with your GP and explain the situation. Some of it may be that the NHS Consultants get a bit sniffy about requests from private consultants to be carried out on the NHS. Stick with it and if necessary make a nuisance of yourself as this is the ideal time for the test to be carried out. Good luck and keep us posted. Hope the wee man is better soon.

Thank you, I thought that was the case
I'm waiting for a call back from our gp to see if they can push it along but we only have locums at the moment they'll be able to see the requests off his notes but I doubt they'll have the same drive as a local doctor that knows his history but hopefully they'll prove me wrong
It's only our local children's ward that will do the bloods, which is who I phoned this morning who were really helpful to start so I'm hopkng the doctors will just write out the form and away we go
I'll also go down the ward when I'm in work tomorrow and see if that works

We've been told once he's 2 he's being referred to a nhs specialist (rather than just general paeds) so hopefully th start doing tests but it could be months before he's seen.

I know our local hosp hated us going private so that hasn't helped and that fact he's on the larger side

 

[Mrs Holwell]

No worries, you're very welcome. Worked in the NHS for 27 yrs so have a fair idea how it works. Doesn't matter who thinks what = a suitably qualified professional (private or otherwise) has recommended the tests for the benefit of Rhys, so someone has to take the bull by the horns and get on with it. Don't be afraid to point out that the surgery needs to get their monies worth out of the locums - they don't come cheap, but only like to do half a job and go home at 5pm. It takes seconds to select blood tests and print out a form - if it helps take an explosive nappy and ask if they would be prepared to accept the service you are getting for their own child. Sorry, but I get a bit snotty with things like this as they like to treat us as minions with zero intelligence if they can get away with it. There are very few 'old school' drs around these days who put the patient first which is a damning indictment of the way the NHS is going and mostly contributed to me leaving. Hang in there and don't take no for an answer.