NHS UK

Delay in blood tests

Patients in north east London are having to wait up to 21 weeks for a routine blood test at the NHS because a huge backlog of applications built up when the service was suspended during the Covid pandemic

Margaret Hodge, one of the local parliamentarians, warned that delays could cause patients to receive a late diagnosis of their illness and be forced to wait many months for surgery.

People with cancer, kidney problems, diabetes and eye problems are among those affected.

Hodge, the Labour Minister of Barking and Dagenham, wrote to Matt Hancock, the secretary of health and welfare, describing the delays as "totally unacceptable" and demanding action.

The delays were revealed in a letter to Hodge by Ceri Jacob, the managing director of the Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge NHS clinical commissioning group.

The Department of Health and Social Assistance refused to respond directly to the delays. In a statement, a spokesman said: "We are supporting the NHS as it restores services safely, providing £3 billion specifically to help the NHS during the winter and to upgrade A&E facilities.