Dear Patient
We are writing to let you know about changes that will be happening to the monitoring books.
When monitoring books for blood tests were introduced it was at a time when we did not have the same access to blood results. This has all changed considerably over the last 10 years as IT systems have improved. We can now see blood results that GPs request and GPs can see the results of bloods we request.
We recognise that some of our patients like to know their blood results. This has however proved to be a huge burden on our admin team to complete the books. As you would have noted the results all have to be handwritten. We see 400 patients every week in the monitoring clinic which means 400 books to complete. Writing in the blood results and posting them out occupies a member of our admin team for a full week. There is also the cost of posting out the books to consider.
We are aware that when patients transfer to their GP, once stable, the GPs do not provide or fill out the monitoring books. We have spoken to rheumatology colleagues in neighbouring hospitals and discovered we are the only team routinely filling out monitoring books in this way.
We held a workshop last month, patient representatives were invited and it was recognised that while some patients appreciate knowing their results, most do not read their blood books. On balance it was decided during the workshop that completing and returning blood books is taking up considerable administration resources that could be better used elsewhere. Following this workshop we have decided to stop filling out the blood monitoring books from later this year.
Please be assured that if you attend the monitoring clinic, the nurses will continue to check your bloods on the computer, record this on your health record and contact you if there are any concerns. The nurses don’t actually look at the blood books any longer as the checks are all now done on the computer. Blood forms will no longer be posted out and will be given to each patient on the day.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
The Rheumatology Team