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Introducing a booking system for blood tests

Posted: 27 November 2023

Picture of the three hospital sites at the trust

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is introducing a booking system for blood tests and phasing out walk-in appointments.

Patients will be able to register on the system from 1 December and online appointments will commence from 14 December.

Some walk-in slots will always be available for those who need urgent tests and staff will provide flexibility for patients who haven’t been able to book in advance.

There is a dedicated phone line for those without digital access. The phone line will open from 1 December and trust staff will help patients book appointments from 14 December.

Martin Keble, divisional director, clinical support services, said: “Our blood clinic teams see an average of 27,000 patients a month which can lead to overcrowding in our clinics. By introducing a booking system for blood tests, we can spread appointments evenly throughout the day.

“We recognise that walk-in clinics have suited some patients, however, we are confident that booked appointments will provide a better experience and reduce waiting times in clinics for all patients.”

Contact information

Register with Swiftqueue from 1 December to book an online appointment from 14 December.

A telephone helpline opens from Thursday 7 December. It will operate from Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 1pm. Call 01727 897376

Ends

  1. For media enquiries, please contact the communications team on: 01923 436280 or email: westherts.communications@nhs.net. For out of hours media enquiries please call the Watford General Hospital switchboard on 01923 244366 and ask for the on call communications manager.
  2. West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves people from across Hertfordshire, north London and further afield. It operates from three hospitals; Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead. The trust has a catchment area of over 500,000 people and is one of the largest employers locally, with around 5,000 staff and volunteers.
  3. For more information about our hospitals, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk. You can also join our followers on Twitter (twitter.com/westhertsNHS) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/westhertsNHS).