Non-urgent blood tests postponed in response to national supply issue
Due to a national shortage of the vials used for blood tests, the NHS in England and Wales is temporarily stopping all non-urgent blood testing. In line with this national guidance, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton will temporarily only be providing a phlebotomy service to patients who need to be tested for an urgent health problem.
All UHDB blood clinic appointments between Tuesday 31 August 2021 and Friday 17 September 2021 have been cancelled. Please do not attend one of our hospitals or clinics to access a blood test for an appointment between these dates. During this time walk-in services will not be available at any of our hospitals or clinics.
Urgent blood tests will be rebooked by the referring clinician where necessary and patients will be informed of a new appointment.
If you had registered a mobile phone number when you booked your appointment you will have received the following text message from University Hospitals of Derby and Burton.
‘Due to a global shortage of blood tubes we have been asked to cancel all of our clinics until 17 September 2021, if your booked appointment was urgent please contact your referring clinician. If your condition or symptoms change or get worse, please contact the NHS as you would normally.’
If you believe your blood test is urgent but haven’t been contacted with a new appointment date, please contact your referring clinician as they will be able to book an appointment on your behalf. Unfortunately at this time we cannot book appointments requested by patients or members of the public.
During this time you may find that primary care clinicians, such as GPs, or hospitals specialities if you are under the care of a consultant, are busier than normal due to high numbers of calls being received because of this change.
Specialist paediatric blood clinics are still going ahead for all blood tests.
This includes:
- Paediatric blood clinics in Children’s outpatients at Royal Derby Hospital
- Paediatric blood clinic for children under 2 at the Treatment Centre, Queen’s Hospital Burton
- Children’s blood clinic at Queen’s Hospital Burton
- Specialist paediatric blood clinic at Derby Urgent Treatment Centre (2 years – under 12)
Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience this national shortage has caused. The NHS is working with suppliers to alleviate the pressure on existing supplies.
Further guidance will be released as and when available.