Blood tests delays fear
Patients waiting for blood test results could face delays when most testing is switched from Kidderminster to Worcester, a former hospital pathologist warned today. Patients waiting for blood test results could face delays when most testing is switched from Kidderminster to Worcester, a former hospital pathologist warned today. Councillor Howard Eeles claims the transfer could affect the efficiency of the service. He says that the move for non-urgent testing to Worcestershire Royal Hospital could slow down the time it takes to receive results. The former Kidderminster Hospital consultant pathologist warned the Royal Hospital was already struggling to cope with its present workload and more work would delay the time it takes to deliver results. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Councillor Howard Eeles claims the transfer could affect the efficiency of the service.
He says that the move for non-urgent testing to Worcestershire Royal Hospital could slow down the time it takes to receive results.
The former Kidderminster Hospital consultant pathologist warned the Royal Hospital was already struggling to cope with its present workload and more work would delay the time it takes to deliver results.
He said Kidderminster Hospital test results take up to five-and-a-half hours to identify while at Worcester the time increases to between 16 and 30 hours.
Blood samples will continue to be taken at Kidderminster but will be sent to Worcester for analysis in most cases.
However the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust claims none of the changes should cause any longer wait for test results and said urgent testing would continue at Kidderminster.
Councillor Eeles has written to the trust warning of the dangers of the changes due to start next month.
He said: "Figures given to me by the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust show that the Worcester laboratory is struggling to cope with its present workload. Increasing this by half as much again would lead to considerable delays in doctors and patients receiving results.
"Why centralise a service that is already working efficiently?"
Trust spokeswoman Janet-Marie Clarke said: "We are making these changes in order to maximise resources across the county. None of these changes should result in any patients waiting any longer for test results."
