Not bookable via the usual links for me. All the Lewisham centres on swiftqueue still say 'coming soon'. Via another route to the same site dates and times are shown against specific centres but on clicking through the message is just to bring your form with you and no appointment can be booked.
However I did get my blood taken today having persuaded my GP it was an urgent case. He reissued the form and marked it urgent and I popped across the road to usual place and they did me with no appointment pre booked.
On Friday I was given paperwork as I need to go to the QE in Woolwich for some blood tests. I was just going to go up there Monday morning, and now I see this. This fills me with worry. So seeing this thread, I called the blood teats line, sure enough it says on there, that you have to book and not just turn up? Why is that? Also, how long is the wait as these are urgent? I have been off sick for a week already?
On Friday I was given paperwork as I need to go to the QE in Woolwich for some blood tests. I was just going to go up there Monday morning, and now I see this. This fills me with worry. So seeing this thread, I called the blood teats line, sure enough it says on there, that you have to book and not just turn up? Why is that? Also, how long is the wait as these are urgent? I have been off sick for a week already?
You can book at many clinics in SE London. I like the Eltham Community Hospital best. You book a time on line and I'm always seen on time. King's College Hospital does all the checks and the results are on line within a couple of days.
(Getting the form stamped Urgent is not necessary. When you look at the Swiftqueue site you can see where the next booking is available at all the places.)
On Friday I was given paperwork as I need to go to the QE in Woolwich for some blood tests. I was just going to go up there Monday morning, and now I see this. This fills me with worry. So seeing this thread, I called the blood teats line, sure enough it says on there, that you have to book and not just turn up? Why is that? Also, how long is the wait as these are urgent? I have been off sick for a week already?
You can book at many clinics in SE London. I like the Eltham Community Hospital best. You book a time on line and I'm always seen on time. King's College Hospital does all the checks and the results are on line within a couple of days.
(Getting the form stamped Urgent is not necessary. When you look at the Swiftqueue site you can see where the next bo@Crusty54 is available at all the places.)
Sorry @Crusty54 but that's not the case in most of the area. A couple of Beckenham sites are good to go in the normal way as you have described amd as mentiomed above but very little else including Eltham Community Hospital. Click through and you will see as of tonight no appointment slots can be booked.
The answer is to get your form marked urgent by the GP. This may require reprinting by the surgery and then turn up with it at your blood test centre of choice, preferably before 1.30. The one I used closed at 2 as they are on short hours still because of the impact of the cyber attack.
Did your surgery stamp your form as urgent?, if not go back to them and get it stamped.
Thanks for that info. Just checked the forms and they are marked Urgent. I am in the queue to the blood test line at the moment. Hopefully they I can say I can just show up. I am 6th in the queue at the moment.
I have managed to get one booked today for 12.10 at QE in Woolwich. I did have the options to go to other places but I wanted to go somewhere where I know where the department is. (and not have to look for the location). You can't get lost in the hopsital.
Update Lifers for those waiting - loads of spaces now online. Just got one at Erith same hour. They said it is just starting to get busy as people find out they are available again.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust have been working closely with Synnovis, an NHS pathology provider affected by a cyber attack, and the South East London Integrated Care Board to increase the number of blood test appointments available to patients. Synnovis has been increasing the capacity in their laboratories.
From 15 August 2024
Patients will be able to book blood tests via Swiftqueue at the phlebotomy centres run by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT) from Thursday 15 August 2024. Patients can book these online using Swiftqueue or by phoning the call centre: 020 8333 3217. Our lines are open from 8am to 4pm, from Monday to Friday.
We are expecting appointments to fill quickly so please be patient as our phlebotomy colleagues deal with the large backlog of patients waiting to book routine blood tests. We expect it to take a bit longer for you to get through temporarily.
The community sites open for blood tests are:
Queen Mary’s Hospital (8am to 6pm) Erith and District Hospital (8am to 2pm) Queen Elizabeth Hospital (8am to 6pm) Eltham Community Hospital (8am to 6pm) Waldron Health Centre (7.30am to 11am) Rushey Green Group Practice (7.30am to 12 noon) South Lewisham Health Centre (8.30am to 4.30pm) Sydenham Green Health Centre (8.30am to 12 noon)
Urgent walk-ins
For the time being, patients with urgent testing requirements, as advised by their GP and stated on their request form, can continue to walk into these clinics to have blood taken. This provision will stop once waiting times are back to pre-incident levels
Booking a routine blood test
All other patients can book appointments via the LGT Swiftqueue system, which will revert back to online access from Thursday 15 August.
Routine testing will return to the below community sites on Monday 19 August. Please note that these sites will not be able to accommodate any urgent walk in patients.
Honor Oak Health Centre (8.30am to 12 noon) (Tues to Fri)
Lee Health Centre (8am to 11.30am) (Mon, Thurs & Fri)
Downham Health Centre (7.30am to 2pm) (Tues Only)
Lakeside Health Centre (8am to 11.30am)
Plumstead Health Centre (8am to 2pm)
South Lewisham Paediatric Clinic (8.15am to 4pm) (Tues, Thurs & Fri)
All patients attending for blood tests must bring the paper request form from their GP. Without this we are unable to take your blood.
When appointments become fully available again, you will be able to book one using the following online service
Colleagues across south east London are working full time to resolve the remaining issues and bring back our capacity to carry out non-urgent blood tests. We hope to be able to give a positive update on this in early August, and apologise for the continued inconvenience this situation has caused.
Blood tests for children aged under 10
Lewisham: If a child under 10 years old needs a blood test, this must be booked at South Lewisham Health Centre, which offers a specialised clinic for children. This is the only blood test centre in Lewisham that is able to take blood from children under the age of 10 years. Please check for the correct option when booking.
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However I did get my blood taken today having persuaded my GP it was an urgent case. He reissued the form and marked it urgent and I popped across the road to usual place and they did me with no appointment pre booked.
I looked at Swiftqueue last Sunday and got an appointment for the following day.
I've never had a problem booking through Swiftqueue at centres in Catford and lately the Eltham Community hospital.
I will be looking for an appointment at the end of the month.
(Getting the form stamped Urgent is not necessary. When you look at the Swiftqueue site you can see where the next booking is available at all the places.)
The answer is to get your form marked urgent by the GP. This may require reprinting by the surgery and then turn up with it at your blood test centre of choice, preferably before 1.30. The one I used closed at 2 as they are on short hours still because of the impact of the cyber attack.
https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/book-a-blood-test/
Book a blood test
UPDATE 13 AUGUST 2024:
From 15 August 2024
Patients will be able to book blood tests via Swiftqueue at the phlebotomy centres run by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT) from Thursday 15 August 2024. Patients can book these online using Swiftqueue or by phoning the call centre: 020 8333 3217. Our lines are open from 8am to 4pm, from Monday to Friday.
We are expecting appointments to fill quickly so please be patient as our phlebotomy colleagues deal with the large backlog of patients waiting to book routine blood tests. We expect it to take a bit longer for you to get through temporarily.
The community sites open for blood tests are:
Queen Mary’s Hospital (8am to 6pm)
Erith and District Hospital (8am to 2pm)
Queen Elizabeth Hospital (8am to 6pm)
Eltham Community Hospital (8am to 6pm)
Waldron Health Centre (7.30am to 11am)
Rushey Green Group Practice (7.30am to 12 noon)
South Lewisham Health Centre (8.30am to 4.30pm)
Sydenham Green Health Centre (8.30am to 12 noon)
Urgent walk-ins
For the time being, patients with urgent testing requirements, as advised by their GP and stated on their request form, can continue to walk into these clinics to have blood taken. This provision will stop once waiting times are back to pre-incident levels
Booking a routine blood test
All other patients can book appointments via the LGT Swiftqueue system, which will revert back to online access from Thursday 15 August.
Routine testing will return to the below community sites on Monday 19 August. Please note that these sites will not be able to accommodate any urgent walk in patients.
All patients attending for blood tests must bring the paper request form from their GP. Without this we are unable to take your blood.
When appointments become fully available again, you will be able to book one using the following online service
:
> Book your blood test here
Colleagues across south east London are working full time to resolve the remaining issues and bring back our capacity to carry out non-urgent blood tests. We hope to be able to give a positive update on this in early August, and apologise for the continued inconvenience this situation has caused.
Blood tests for children aged under 10
Lewisham: If a child under 10 years old needs a blood test, this must be booked at South Lewisham Health Centre, which offers a specialised clinic for children. This is the only blood test centre in Lewisham that is able to take blood from children under the age of 10 years. Please check for the correct option when booking.
Children under 10 from Greenwich and Bexley can get bloods taken from specially trained staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital or Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/book-a-blood-test/?