A casual conversation recently set me wondering about my blood group. Last time I visited the doctors, I asked about getting a test done. Having had jaundice in the summer of my 'O' Level year, I understood that I would never be able to give blood as my father had done all his adult life. He was an unusual, sought after blood type, so I wondered if I inherited this from him, but not being a blood donor and never needing major surgery, my blood type is still an unknown. As I've been spending more time abroad, it occurred to me it might be a reasonable thing to find out, just in case, and avoid complications in the event of misfortune. I was told I'd have to pay, but I didn't mind that. The surgery was willing to invoice me.
Monday morning I called in the surgery and had blood taken. During the afternoon I had an urgent message from Clare to call the surgery. The Practice Manager informed me that the sample had been rejected, no reason given. I booked another appointment for Wednesday morning. Then on Tuesday morning, I had another acupuncture session. These are doing me lots of good. I feel as if I am really picking up again after debilitating months of persistent coughing. This time, lots of needles.
Wednesday morning before going to St Catherine's to celebrate the midweek Mass, I returned to the surgery for a second blood sample to be taken. I was told that the first sample had been rejected due to an issue with the paperwork. Llandough hospital required that the sample label be handwritten, not typed for reasons nobody was about to share with my G.P. surgery or me. Once more, before the day was out, I had another call from the surgery to say the second sample had been rejected.
No explanation was provided, except that I should go to the Blood Bank and offer to be a donor if I wanted to get tested. This, despite the fact that the samples supplied carried my date of birth - I am three years too old to be a first time blood donor, and the reason I was asking to be tested was because I hadn't ever been a donor. So straight away, I rang the BUPA clinic in Pentwyn to arrange a blood test for Monday next. I'll pay, but they will be bothered to honour my request.
No wonder the N.H.S. is about to collapse when different departments of a Local Health Board don't apply commonly agreed administrative criteria to the ways they manage their affairs, and more seriously when people responsible can't be bothered to communicate with each other in a decently informative manner. The attitude displayed by those managing the blood testing service at Llandough led to me taking up half an hour's worth of practice nursing and admin time altogether, with no outcome. I'm as annoyed on behalf of our hardworking local G.P. surgery team as I am for myself with a pair of fang-like red marks on my left arm, and nothing to show for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment