"Saturday blood test service"

The "Receptionist" sat browsing photos on the nurse's phone of "her handsome son" and chatting to the nurse while I stood waiting. No one else was waiting at all as they'd obvs cleared everyone. After a few minutes the receptionist turned to me and said by way of an irritated greeting "you're cutting it a bit fine." I handed her my doctors letter, then she questioned whether I'd fasted so I told her I'd had almost nothing. Before I could elaborate further she announced that I would not be able to have the blood test. I pointed out that my letter states fasting was not essential but she insisted it was a fasting blood test and that the result would not be correct. I showed her where my letter states 'preferred but not essential' - her reply was "well it's just a standard letter" as if that was the trump card to end all debate!!!!!! I protested that this wasn't a good reason not to do the test and if so why doesn't the letter say as much. I said it feels like they just don't want to do the test - she replied that they were on the point of "logging off" and had been open since 8.30. At this point there was at least another 5 minutes to closing time but l did not bother to point this out as presumably she was well aware it would of weakened her "fasting" argument. She remained adamant that I would have to come back another time.

I'm a full time commuter outside of Stevenage 5 days a week so time off work and medical appointments are not easy. Having paid for parking that morning and shown my letter verifying that fasting was not essential I don't think the attitude and response of the "senior Phlebotomist" as she turned out to be was courteous or at all helpful and told her so. This lady seemed to take pleasure in emphasising her seniority and was actually plain rude from start to finish of our interaction. Had I been more elderly of a vulnerable disposition then it's sad to know that this passes for her normal way of dealing with people.

A tactical way of getting people to get blood tests done with their own GP instead - maybe? Effective use of healthcare resourcing and good patient management - I doubt it.