My wife has asked me to put this on the forum as perhaps other Dover people have had a similar problem, also some of the info may be of use.
A family friend (72 yrs of age) who underwent an operation for bowel cancer last November recently visited her doctor in Dover and was told she should have an urgent blood test.
The practice (Peter Street Surgery) informed her that the practice nurses no longer took blood tests and she should make an appointment with Buckland Hospital.
She immediately contacted Buckland Hospital to be told they were unable to "fit her in" for at least two weeks and referred her to the Dover Health Centre. She went there (it is she understood a walk-in centre for blood tests) to be told the nurse was on holiday and is not replaced. Also when the nurse is there it is only Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm as she only works two hours two days a week. There is never cover for holidays/sickness.
Our friend was then told to try Folkestone Hospital which she attempted by phone at various times during the day without success.
The following morning she went to Folkestone Hospital before 9am and was told only available by appointment but come back at 1pm, she came back to Dover then returned to Folkestone for the 1pm appointment.
For anyone interested and to avoid any wasted journeys to Folkestone it seems Folkestone only do appointments for blood tests up to 2pm but a "ticket system" on first come first served is available Mon-Fri 2pm to 4pm and also 9am to 12 noon on Saturdays
What I am concerned is that the current Government have given record funds to the NHS and yet the service in Dover gets worse. Whilst the ultimate is a Hospital for Dover (I am not using this to reopen the debate on the hospital for Dover) what is of concern is that the service currently available is getting worse and how much is in fact wasted on "top heavy" administration.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Pat,At Peter st you can do your own blood test at anytime and they will help and show you how to do it.
I would suggest somethin other than "top heavy adminatration" Pat. More like a Government imposed administratively overburdened NHS where the focus is NOT on the customer (patient). This is of course allied to poor management and out of date working practices from top to bottom.
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
A 90 year old friend of ours had exactly the same experience, 3 doctors visits and 2 hospital, on his 3rd doctors visit he staged a sit down strike and created merry hell. The result, they found a nurse to do it for him.
Vic
Never heard of "Do it yourself" blood test, certainly I would not want to poke a needle in my arm and draw x phailes of blood for test.
My wife is going to phone Peter Street in the morning to ask if this is correct
Vic, isn't that taking "physician heal thy self" a bit far?
FWIW I needed a blood test last year. Deal Hospital were superb.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
pat
i am a bit shocked by your post, i am a patient of the surgery in the same grounds.
two weeks ago i had 7 lots of blood taken and an ecg.
i was told to ring back in a week , later that day i had a phone call from the surgery saying that they an urgent report on a test and that they would be sending an ambulance around right then.
the hospital was dire but they did the urgent work, still here to tell the tale.
no problem with the primary care though, i seem to remember diane on here complaining of the same thing as you.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
St Peters St Surgery are very good. I have always found them most helpfull all the time.
Howard
Thanks. My wife phoned the Surgery this morning to ask if blood tests were being done by the nurse as she is due for one in a few weeks time. They said no and that when she is referred by her doctor for a blood test to go to Buckland. Is yours High Street Surgery which is in the same location ?
Bob
I note what you say about Deal so maybe when the time comes she should go to Deal...However this shows that we have virtually no facilities for patients in Dover
Vic
Peter Street is not the practice that I go to. My wife has been "on their books" for years and is not questioning the staff or doctors helpfulness but the fact a basic service is not available. Dont forget at one time doctors took the blood for test then practices had practice nurses to do it. Your earlier "Do it Yourself" posting are you thinking of blood pressure tests which one can do, indeed you can purchase these from chemists to do blood pressure tests at home.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
pat
mine is high street surgery, the doctor that referred me to the tests was not my own one(just filling in) but gave me a complete MOT, the phone call was from another doctor that i did not know even existed.
hence my gratitude to the professionalism of all involved.
i am sorry to hear about your friend, i agree that we are a bit left out in most health matters down here.
i think that our vic is thinking of blood pressure tests, as you infer.
As I posted before. The service for taking blood tests at the Health Centre is due to close in July because the Trust no longer willing to fund it. It is something to do with GP's not funding it - patients from all GP's go there.
As for Vic saying that you can take your own blood tests that is rubbish. They may offer a service for checking for cholesterol, for that does not entail taking 3 - 4 complete phials of blood.
I am desperately worried about it as I have to have fairly frequent blood tests, usually going one week before my out-patients appointment. So I was pleased to get the heads-up that you need to book at least 2 weeks beforehand if going to Buckland.
Thanks Howard and Diana
I believe both our MP and various prospective MPs view this forum and I wonder what they will do to improve a basic medical requirement for the people of Dover.
If as Diana states it is the GPs then I feel they are totally irresponsible, they have been funded to have practice nurses and if Dover Health Centre is not going to provide the facility and although a limited facility at Buckland this hardly reflects the need for this for a population of some 30,000
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Yes Sorry I got that wrong it was Blood Pressure not Blood tests.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,023
Pat I think you will find some Doctors Surgeries carry out blood tests ,however Peter Street surgery does not .
Thanks Sue
It is the fact that some practices decide they can do blood tests whilst others have "opted out" without seemingly taking in the patients wellbeing.
As from this thread we have two practices in one location. One gives the service to patients (High Street) whilst the other (Peter Street) does not.
The facilities for those who are unable to get blood tests done by their practice nurse fall well short of what we should expect in this day and age.
I feel sorry for those who have no-one to help them with this problem of being pushed from pillar to post. We have a close community so help those that need assistance.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,304
Strange that Peter Street don't. The NHS give them what's known in the trade as "prick money", another source of income. I must admit that I am not enamoured with them.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
strange choice of title terry, is this another april fool scam?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
if it was howard it was a cock up.
Well I think I have discovered the truth.
As Terry says above (17) that practices receive a separate financial contribution for providing blood testing facilities.
I have spoken to a Practice Manager of a surgery and am informed that the NHS have cut this financial contribution by over half.
Therefore more and more practices will no longer have the finance to provide the service.It is up to each practice to see if they can reduce other areas to maintain the service.
A splendid example of the Government saying they are protecting the NHS and yet making 50% cuts.
My thread (13) above... How about Gwyn and Charlie stating what they would do to regain this facility... I have been told that if more practices fail to provide the service the current approx two week waiting for appointment at Buckland will get longer.