Children's Phlebotomy (Blood Tests)

All children’s blood tests are now only available as pre-booked appointments.

Please telephone 01536 492694 between 8:00am and 4:00pm (Monday to Friday) to make an appointment for your child’s blood test. This is a central booking point, and the receptionist will ensure that your child is seen at the most suitable phlebotomy location.  We are unable to accommodate children who arrive for a blood test without an appointment.

Please do not telephone our other phlebotomy locations as all children’s appointments are now being co-ordinated through the central booking point.

Blood Test Request Form

For your child to have a blood test, they will need to have a request form from a clinician.  This may be your General Practitioner (GP) or someone else. 

• If you have been provided with a paper request form by your clinician, please bring this with you to the appointment.
• If your request has been sent electronically, the receptionist will be able to check that the request has been received at the time of making the appointment.

If a hospital doctor has requested your child’s blood test, then they will have provided you with a handwritten paper request form.  It is very important that you bring this with you to the appointment.

If after making the appointment your child is unable to attend for any reason, please telephone the central line on 01536 492694 between 8:00am and 4:00pm (Monday - Friday) to cancel or reschedule accordingly. 

Pain Relief

Anaesthetic cream can be provided, but this requires authorisation by a clinician as it is a pharmacy medicine; and needs to be applied an hour before the appointment.  It can be collected from any phlebotomy location (if it has been authorised) or may be purchased from a pharmacy.  A cold anaesthetic spray which does not require authorisation can be used at the time of the appointment as an alternative to the cream, although this is not as effective. For more information please see the leaftlet below.