COVID-19 update

Our services are still running during the pandemic. We have clinics running across Barking, Havering and Redbridge operating Monday to Sunday between 8am and 4pm.  See below for details of how to book your blood test.

Our Community Phlebotomy (blood testing) service operates from various sites across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. This service is offered to anyone registered to a GP in Barking and Dagenham, Havering or Redbridge and is over 12 years of age.

A pilot community blood testing service began w/c 28 June 2021 in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. It aims to continue to improve access to phlebotomy services across BHR, reduce waiting times and ensure urgent tests can be booked for the same or next day. Blood tests will be also be available at weekends at some sites. The target is for all patients to be able to have their blood test within seven days. All bookings and cancellations can be made online or by phone.

The pilot service is being developed by NEL CCG, North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT), Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) and primary care providers, who have worked together to ensure that phlebotomy services meet the needs of local people throughout the pandemic.  

The latest stakeholder update regarding this service can be found on our website.

If you have any comments or queries about this pilot, please email nelondon.bhrphlebotomyservice.nelccg@nhs.net

• There are currently no walk-in services available for Barking and Dagenham, Havering or Redbridge patients – all blood tests must be booked in advance.
• Blood tests for children under 12 are carried out by appointment only by the BHRUT Children’s Outpatient department.
• Always take your paper blood test form to your appointment as this is needed to process your blood test. If you have a blood test form from BHRUT, this can also be used at community sites.

We also provide home visit (domiciliary) services to housebound patients who are over 16 years of age. Access to the domiciliary service is by referral from GPs or health professionals.

Please note that we do not offer glucose tolerance tests (GTTs).

Online phlebotomy booking system

To book a blood test appointment at one of our community clinics, click here.

We are only able to provide blood tests for people who are registered with a GP in Barking and Dagenham, Havering or Redbridge. If you are not registered to a GP in one of these boroughs, please do not use the booking system as your appointment will be cancelled on the day if you arrive at the clinic.

Alternatively, you can contact our administrative team on the following telephone numbers, Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm:

• 0300 300 1704
• 0300 555 1045

Please note that our telephone lines can get very busy so you may have to wait in a queue. Please be patient and we will endeavour to answer your call as soon as possible.

Waiting times for blood tests

We have been working hard with our NHS partners across North East London to reduce our waiting times for blood test appointments. We have been asked to take on additional capacity due to pressures across the region in response to COVID-19. We are recruiting more colleagues, have set up additional clinics, and brought in urgent blood testing for patients who meet the relevant ‘referral criteria’ for these. Please discuss with your GP if you think your blood test may be urgent as they may be able to refer you urgently.

We have also had to make significant changes to our blood testing service as a result of COVID-19. These include introducing an appointment system rather than running ‘walk-in’ clinics, minimising the number of people in our clinical areas and waiting rooms, and making sure we have enough time between appointments for appropriate cleaning and other infection prevention and control measures.

As a result of the measures we have put in place, many of our blood test clinics now have a wait time within one week or less. We would highly recommend looking at availability across all clinics before booking your blood test.

Cancelling your appointment 

If you wish to cancel or rearrange your blood test appointment, you can do so by clicking on the link that was sent to you via text or email at the time of booking your appointment. This will then provide you with the details of your appointment and options to cancel or rearrange. Alternatively you can call our administrative team to support you with this. Please aim to do this at least 24 hours in advance in order to make that appointment available to someone else.

Barking and Dagenham

Clinic	Address	Opening hours
Chadwell Heath Health Centre	Ashton Gardens Dagenham Essex RM6 6RT	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Porters Avenue Health Centre	234 Porters Avenue Dagenham RM8 2EQ	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Thames View Health Centre	Bastable Avenue Barking IG11 0LG	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Barking Community Hospital	Upney Lane Barking IG11 9LX	Monday to Sunday 8am – 4pm

Havering

Clinic	Address	Opening hours
Cranham Clinic	Avon Road Upminster RM14 1RG	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Elm Park Clinic	252 Abbs Cross Lane   Hornchurch RM12 4YG	Monday to Sunday 8am – 4pm (the Saturday and Sunday chairs will run until the end of the pilot, 30 June 2022)
Raphael House (Victoria Centre)	Victoria Centre Pettits Lane Romford RM1 4HP	Monday to Sunday 8am – 4pm

Redbridge

Clinic	Address	Opening hours
Hainault Health Centre	Manford Way Ilford Chigwell IG7 4DF	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Seven Kings Health Centre	1 Salisbury Road  Seven Kings Ilford IG3 8BG	Tuesday to Friday 8am – 4pm
Loxford Polyclinic	417 Ilford Lane Ilford IG1 2SN	Monday to Sunday 8am – 4pm
Barley Court Clinic	Goodmayes Hospital 157 Barley Lane   Ilford	Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm

For a full list of locations, including those not run by NELFT, please visit the website here.