Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of waiting times for and (b) access to phlebotomy services in the London Borough of Havering.

In March 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust targeted provision of phlebotomy services for priority groups only including, inpatients, oncology, haematology, children under 12 and a small number of other patients whose treatment is ongoing and reliant on blood testing.

We are aware that our community blood testing services are currently experiencing a high level of demand and have been working with service providers to increase capacity. We are establishing phlebotomy services in community settings and work is underway to reduce waiting times for patients who require non-urgent blood tests. We have also introduced online booking, implemented fast track priority booking system, introduced specialised phlebotomy general practitioner services and developed a new communication strategy for local residents.