Blood test problems
Patients should be aware that we continue to struggle with a lack of a reliable transport sytem for bloods and other lab samples taken for patients in rural Cowal.
The rural practices have been working with the Strachur Patient Participation Group for many, many months to resolve this problem through appeals to NHS Highland, but as Dr Von Kæhne in Lochgoilhead has posted on their practice facebook page, the problems have become much more acute during the Covid 19 crisis. This is because we are one of only a tiny handful of practices in Scotland that still have to post samples to the laboratory, and of course the postal service is frequently delayed just now.
We are aware this is a serious issue that poses a safety risk to our patients. We are enormously grateful to everone who has been volunteering to take samples to the laboratory drop off points in Dunoon and the Vale of Leven.
The transport of laboratory samples is an NHS Highland responsibility and it is NHS Highland that currently provide special boxes and postage labels for us to post samples. We are meeting with them on Monday to discuss our concerns.
A public statement will follow that meeting.
