27/1/2025 Latest update regarding system problem
From Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust:
We would like to update you on issues affecting blood tests at GP practices in Leeds and part of Bradford.
The Pathology Service at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has recently implemented a new Laboratory Information Management System.
This is a shared system across West Yorkshire which will provide a single, seamless solution for processing pathology testing for patients having blood tests. This will allow patient test results to be viewed by clinicians across the region, regardless of where a test was obtained, and ultimately deliver a better experience for patients.
_This has been a large, complex transition. Leeds hospitals receive around 10 000 blood samples every day, and the majority of these samples have been processed as usual. However, during the transition they experienced some technical issues, which impacted some patients from Leeds and Bradford who had blood samples taken at their GP practices and community centres. The result of this was that some blood tests results were delayed or were not processed, and some were sent in a format which meant that GP practices could not file them into their systems. There are a large number of technical and clinical staff in the trust and in community teams who are actively working on addressing these issues as a priority. The main technical issues are now fully resolved, and the majority of outstanding blood results have been sent to practices.
The Trust sincerely apologises to any patients and GP practice staff affected by this disruption.
The preferred way for patients to know that their test results are available is by online services; checking on the NHS App or SystmOnline/Airmid. You can see all your test results and your recent medical notes in the NHS App.
If you would like to raise a concern or provide feedback you are able to do so via the Patients Advice and Liaison Team at the Trust: https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/patients/support/feedback-complaints/
Thank you.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
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Pathology result issues across Leeds
The laboratory at Leeds Teaching Hospitals trust (LTHT), which processes & reports on all the bloods tests taken across Leeds, had a system upgrade in early December 2024.
Due to problems with this upgrade:
- Some blood test results have been delayed in being sent back to the practice
- Some blood test results were sent to us in an incorrect format: so will take us longer to review back in the practice
- Some blood samples have been lost or have been discarded due to delays in processing which means they will have to be repeated
- There may be staggered delays within a set of tests, meaning reports may not be representative. for example, a result may be marked as ‘normal’, and this communicated to the patient, but further test elements are yet to arrive (and may be ‘abnormal’).
This has been a problem across Leeds with every GP practice having to do a lot of extra work, checking and so on. At Gildersome Health centre we are facing a significant extra workload caused by this issue which is entirely outside our control. Please be assured that we are working through the extra work steadily and we will be in touch with patients as and when necessary.
Our preferred way for patients to know that their test results are back / and are normal, is by checking on the NHS App. You can see all your test results and your recent medical notes in the NHS App. It is downloadable from app stores.
If you had a blood test taken here at the practice more than 4 weeks ago and there are no results showing on the NHS App) then please let us know . If you are not able to access the NHS App, then please do give us a call to check.
If you had a blood test taken here at the practice more than 4 weeks ago, and you cannot see all the results from it on the NHS App please let us know.
West Yorkshire ICB, Leeds Local Medical Committee (which represents GPs) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust are working together to resolve the issues. However, Leeds General Practice feels this system upgrade has been poorly handled, resulting in a lot of extra work for practices at our busiest time of year. We will continue to post updates as we get them.
Should you wish to convey your feelings to LTHT, you can contact the patient Liaison.
patientexperience.leedsth@nhs.net
You can also post your concerns to the PALS Team at:
Trust HQ, St James’s Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF Thank you for your ongoing support,
Gildersome Health Centre
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Carers Leeds
who is a carer?....
A carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid support to family of friends who could not manage without their help due to illness, disability, mental health issues or substance misuse problem.
Carers Leeds offers confidential information, advice and support to all carers aged 16 and over.
Specialist support is available to:
- Carers of people from black and minority ethnic minorities
- Parent carers
- Carers of people with mental health issues
- Carers of people with learning disabilities
- Family members of those affected by drug or alcohol misuse
- Carers of people with dementia
- Young adult carers (aged 16-25)
- Carers who have been bereaved
- Working carers
Carers Advice Line: 0113 380 4300 Carers Leeds: 0113 246 8338
www.carersleeds.org.uk
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Any donations are gratefully received….
Examples of what’s being used most at present are:
WHISKAS CAT FOOD – KITTEN/ADULT/SENIOR
CAT LITTER – THE GRIT VARIETY
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https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave?s=09
HMRC website.
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Physio First.
We are now offering a new service called Physio First. This is a one off assessment which can be booked through our Reception please note you will be asked some basic triage questions before booking. . Please see Physio First section-https://www.gildersomehealthcentre.nhs.uk/info.aspx?p=6
Are you going on holiday ???
If you are travelling in the UK or abroad you will need to request your medication in plenty of time either through your chosen pharmacy or by calling in with a repeat slip . You will need to request at least 10 days before you are going away .If you are needing sooner or needing extra medication for long breaks away then please add a note to say you are going on holiday and how long for or it may not be processed.
We do not have any control over the timing of dispensing by your chosen pharmacy, you will need to check if they have all the items you are needing in stock in plenty of time before travelling.
The same applies for any other administrative requests such as fit to fly letter , letters from the GP advising of medication / needles to be carried abroad etc...We would need at least 3 weeks to process please. We will help where possible if a last minute /late deal holiday has been booked but this cannot be guaranteed. It is the patients responsibility to preplan .
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We offer some travel vaccinations for free but some will need to be paid for through a private travel clinic. We offer this service as a courtesy to our patients and it is not always possible to offer all the time, for example, if the practice nurse is not available. In those circumstances the patient will need to seek advice elsewhere unless they can wait to see the practice Nurse. l
If you are going holiday with less than 6 weeks before the departure date we cannot book travel assessments . You will need to seek advice from a Travel clinic.. If we have no appointments available to see the Practice Nurse then an appointment will need to be made with an alternative clinic.
**Please see our Travel vaccinations section **
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