A DISABLED woman is facing a four-hour return trip to the hospital because her GP surgery has refused to carry out a regular blood test. 

Nicola Stevens has arthritis and is on a cocktail of pain relief medication. 

The 47-year-old usually has a monthly blood test at Gillies Health Centre, in Brighton Hill – a short walk from her home.

But the mother-of-one said she was told last Friday that the centre is no longer able to carry out the blood test, and she will instead have to go to Basingstoke hospital

As previously reported in The Gazette, patients are facing an increased wait at the hospital for blood tests because GP surgeries are refusing to carry out the tests if the patient is receiving their care at the hospital.

Mary Edwards, chief executive at Basingstoke hospital, previously said more staff are being trained to help with the increased demand, but it appears that the situation has still not been resolved. 

When The Gazette visited the phlebotomy department on Tuesday, there were 22 people waiting in the queue at 9.20am. 

Mrs Stevens’ husband, Andy Ritchie, said his wife will struggle to get to the hospital and back for her blood test - a journey which he said involves catching two buses and takes four hours.

The 51-year-old, who gave up work to care for his wife, added: “It takes us a few minutes to walk to Gillies, whereas it takes hours to get to the hospital and back.”

He said this will be worsened if Nicola then has to endure a lengthy wait at hospital.

Mr Ritchie said the system “seems to be falling apart” and said he was speaking out “for the wider community” in the hope of something being done. 

As previously reported in The Gazette, North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which commissions blood tests, explained that GPs are sending patients to the hospital rather than take on the additional work. 

A statement from the CCG said: “Where blood tests are requested by a consultant or other hospital-based clinician as part of a patient’s care at the hospital, it is usual for those tests to be carried out at the hospital. 

“Where a patient is experiencing exceptional difficulties in getting to hospital for those tests, it may be possible for alternative arrangements to be made at the discretion of their GP.

“As soon as the GP practice involved in this case became aware of the issue, they agreed to discuss the patient’s concerns with them to explore possible solutions.”

Donna Green, chief nurse at the hospital, said the blood test walk-in service is still experiencing “significantly increased demand” and she apologised for the wait. 

She added: “To help, we are setting up an appointment-only service. We are also planning to recruit additional phlebotomists.”