Fairfield surgery has historically provided blood tests to our patients as a ‘locally enhanced scheme’. This is because the taking of blood tests is not one of the services we are contracted to provide by NHS England.
Unfortunately, due to insufficient funding of this local scheme, we have had to review our provision of this service and from 2nd October 2024 will be providing GP requested blood tests only.
This means if you are asked by a hospital Consultant/hospital clinic or private health care provider to have a blood test, you will need to book an appointment with either of the phlebotomy teams below:
- Bexhill Diagnostics Centre, 16 Beeching Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN39 3LJ; or
- The Conquest Hospital, The Ridge, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7RD
You can book an appointment online by clicking on this link: Phlebotomy (blood tests) – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (esht.nhs.uk) or by calling 0300 131 5560 (open Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 4.30pm).
Your hospital or private healthcare provider will provide you with a blood test form, which you must take to the appointment, so the phlebotomist knows what tests are required. We cannot provide these forms for you.
We are sorry that we have had to take this action and advise patients to contact NHS Sussex ICB or their MP about inadequate funding for blood tests for GPs to do non-primary care blood tests. The contact details are: