30/08/2020 - Permalink

Coronavirus: News from our partners – Blood-taking service at SaTH hospitals restored

Related topics: Adult social care / Coronavirus / Health / Partner organisations

News from our partners Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Sustainability Transformation Partnership

The blood-taking (phlebotomy) service, which was relocated to community buildings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, will be returning to Shropshire’s two acute hospitals from Tuesday 1 September 2020 as an appointment only service. 

The service provided by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) will return to Elizabeth House at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Mallings Health Building at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford.

Clinics at Lantern House in Shrewsbury, Court Street and Euston House in Telford will no longer be in operation. However, to create further capacity Whitchurch Community Hospital and Bridgnorth Community Hospital blood-taking clinics will remain open and will be an appointment only service.

During the pandemic some GP practices have provided a blood-taking service for their own patients. Over the next month, these practices will gradually reduce the number of patients that have their bloods taken in the practice. Practices that provided a blood-taking service before the pandemic will continue to do this (these are generally the rural practices in Shropshire).

Appointments for patients requiring a blood test, who have been referred by their GP or consultant, will be by appointment only. Patients are advised to only attend at their appointment time and asked to wait in their car, or standing outside, if they arrive early. This will help ensure social distancing measures can be followed. Clinics will no longer be providing a walk-in service for patients.

All blood-taking clinics will be open Monday to Friday as follows:-

  • Elizabeth House at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital 9am-4.30pm
  • Mallings Health Building at The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford 8am-4.45pm
  • Bridgnorth Community Hospital 8.30am-12.30pm
  • Whitchurch Community Hospital 9am-4pm

Patients who are referred for a blood test will be asked to ring a booking line (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm) to book an appointment and location that best fits with their personal and family lives.

Please be aware that The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust are currently restricting patient and visitor access and would ask that, where possible, patients attend for their appointment unaccompanied. Where this is not possible only one person should attend with the patient.

For those patients who were previously shielding and being provided with a home visiting service from Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, the appointment only blood- taking service with the social distancing measures in place will be safe. We recognise that patients may be anxious about relaxing some restrictions after more than three months of shielding, and if you have any specific concerns or need advice please speak to your GP or consultant.

For those patients unable to attend a clinic, for example if they are housebound, the GP or consultant will refer them to Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust who will provide a home visiting service. Patients who fall into this category locally will be identified by their GP and/or consultant.

If a patient or member of the patient’s household has symptoms of COVID-19, such as a new continuous cough, temperature or loss of taste or smell, they should not attend their appointment and should contact their GP or consultant for advice.

Further information

Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) is made up of health and care commissioners and providers. Partners include Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council, NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust.

Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin STP has been created to encourage health and care organisations to work more closely together to improve outcomes and care for local people, reduce pressures on services and make best use of our financial resources.

It sets out ambitious plans for transformed neighbourhood services; safe and effective hospital care; ways in which new technology can be harnessed; and how gaps in the workforce can be filled and financial resources better spent.

Shropshire, Telford & Shropshire STP is one of 44 sustainability and transformation partnerships across England.

Further information

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