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Paediatric Phlebotomy

Checked: 07-05-2024 by Rob Adams Next Review: 07-05-2026

Overview

Paediatric phlebotomy in primary care

The Supplementary Basket of Services LES (April 2024) advises that GP practices should provide a phlebotomy service for children aged 12 years and over where the request has been initiated in primary care.

Practices not currently delivering a primary care-based phlebotomy-initiated service will have a 12-month lead in time during this transition period to help assure themselves that the in-house service is fully up and running in accordance with service requirements.

To support the delivery of a quality assured service, practices are encouraged to comply with evidence based best practice guidelines for the taking, storage and transportation of blood samples to ensure valid, reproducible, and accurate results.

Practices can still undertake bloods in patients under 12 years if they wish and they have staff with the appropriate skills and training.

Requests for secondary care paediatric phlebotomy

Before requesting bloods, referrers are advised to check guidelines in Remedy to ensure that appropriate bloods are requested. Paediatric advice and guidance may be helpful in deciding when bloods are required (particularly in very young children < 5 years) and some providers may require this before a request for bloods is accepted.

Secondary care phlebotomy services for children are listed below - however please be aware that these services are experiencing high pressures and may individually impose additional referral criteria.

Phlebotomy at BRHC

Phlebotomy for children is available at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Routine Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy should be performed within primary care if possible. However, for young children and children/young people aged under 16 years with additional needs, please email the paediatric phlebotomy service:BCHbloods@uhbw.nhs.uk to arrange an appointment. Include the child's full name and NHS number. At the same time, a blood test request needs to be placed on ICE.

Please also see the Parents Guide to Children's Blood Tests.

Urgent Phlebotomy

If a request is urgent, the GP should ring 0117 3427049 to discuss. Please note this phone line is not manned 24/7 so several attempts may be necessary.

Phlebotomy at WGH

A Paediatric phlebotomy service is available from the Seashore Centre at Weston General Hospital from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday.

For children who require blood tests the pathway is as follows:

Under 5 year old – through advice and guidance service on eRS (Paediatrics - Under 5 Blood Requests - Weston General Hospital - UHBW - RA7) WGH do not routinely perform phlebotomy in children under 5 without a conversation via the advice and guidance service.

Over 5 year old – please email details to: seashorenurseteamweston@uhbw.nhs.uk

GP’s must send a referral letter, in which they list which bloods are required and a brief history explaining why the bloods are required (for children under 5 years of age, this will be reviewed by the Paediatric Consultant and additional bloods may be added).

For more information contact the Seashore Centre on: 01934 881 371

Phlebotomy at NBT

***Update 18.6.24*** Please note that the NBT paediatric phlebotomy service is currently under pressure so only use if other options are not available.

A Paediatric phlebotomy service is available at Westgate Children’s Centre, Southmead Hospital.

GPs must complete the Referral Form (available on EMIS) and send by email to paediatricoutpatients@nbt.nhs.uk with a brief history explaining why the bloods are required. The GP must request the blood tests on ICE before the email referral is sent.

Please note there may be a wait for routine blood appointments.

For queries Tel: 0117 414 5807

Or see the NBT website for further information.

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.