"Trouble getting one blood result "

Dear Patient. Thank you for your feedback.

Dr Walton, Partner - responding here on Sunday 24/7/22.

I am very sorry you have felt it necessary to give the surgery a One Star review. You state you had some blood tests on 19/7/22. You say most of the results are visible to you via the online 'Patient Access' portal. But the Serum Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody result (thyroid antibody) result is not yet visible to you.

It appears you posted your review and comment on Friday 22/7/22.

Please bear in mind that blood results come back from the labs spread out over a few days.

'Standard' tests (such as routine thyroids - TFTs, routine liver - LFTs, kidney function - U&Es) tend to one back to the surgery in one or two days.

More complex 'special' tests - such as immunological/auto-antibody tests take longer to receive from the labs.

Hence not all results arrive back with the surgery in one group.

Test are not "uploaded to Patient Access". Results come back to the surgery for tests we have requested. They arrive in the electronic in-tray for the clinician who requested the test. The receiving doctor views and files these incoming results into your GP electronic record. Results always go back in to the in-tray of the clinician at the surgery who made the test request. If that clinician is away for a long time (eg annual leave, sickness) then a different doctor can access, view and file the result on their behalf. Similarly it is possible for a senior doctor to access someone else's in-tray to view and file a result if there is a clinical need.

As of this morning I can see that we now have received two incoming thyroid antibody tests in the last few days.

One was for a patient who has some other tests on Tuesday 19/7/22. These tests were received early morning Wednesday 20/7/22. They were viewed and filed late morning Wed 20/7/22. They will then have been immediately visible to the patient if they have sent up a Patient Access account, at that point.

The thyroid antibody result for this person arrived from the labs later the next day - at 16:35h on Thursday 21/7/22. The results went into the in-tray of the doctor who had requested these tests. This doctor does NOT work on a Thursday or Friday. They will routinely be dealt with by that doctor on their next working day (in this case on Monday 25/7/22) at which point the result will be visible on Patient Access.

I hope this clarifies the situation for you. Please do not hesitate to contact the surgery on e82084.harveyhousesurgery@nhs.net or to call us on 01727 831888 if you need to deal with your specific enquiry or need further discussion.

I am sorry that this has caused you frustration and for you to give us a 'One Star' review. We pride ourselves in excellence of service and it is disappointing that we have had our ratings marked in this way - when we turn around results as quickly as we feasibly can.

Kind regards

Dr Mike Walton, GP Partner

09:00h Sunday 24/7/22