How to get a blood test without referral

Abraham Leibowitz

I want to avoid paying €80 and taking an hour out of my day to see GP. Just phoned up St. Vincent's but they said I need a referral from GP but there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

Alf Veedersane

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

I want to avoid paying €80 and taking an hour out of my day to see GP. Just phoned up St. Vincent's but they said I need a referral from GP but there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

Your GP is probably a bit higher than the norm but you'll be doing well to get a blood test for less than the €60 you'll pay most GPs.

kittyclaws

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

I want to avoid paying €80 and taking an hour out of my day to see GP. Just phoned up St. Vincent's but they said I need a referral from GP but there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

It depends what you want tested - I pay €15 for McCabes pharmacy to check my iron levels, they do a variety of different types of blood tests.
If anything odd shows up they refer you to your doctor, but for a general check it's worth the price.

BrokenArrows

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

I want to avoid paying €80 and taking an hour out of my day to see GP. Just phoned up St. Vincent's but they said I need a referral from GP but there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

Blood tests are not free. 60-80 is good value.
According to someone on this forum a while ago it costs somewhere in the region of 300 to actually do the blood test.

But i agreen that taking the time out of your day to go to a GP when you know all they're going to say is "have a blood test" is a bit annoying.

Alf Veedersane

BrokenArrows wrote: »

But i agreen that taking the time out of your day to go to a GP when you know all they're going to say is "have a blood test" is a bit annoying.

How is it annoying if they then proceed to take blood to be tested?

BrokenArrows

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

How is it annoying if they then proceed to take blood to be tested?

In my experience they don't. Ive been told to reschedule another appointment to get the blood taken because they have nurses on duty certain days to only take blood. Although things might have changed since i last needed to take blood. Its been a while!

marialouise

At my local surgery the nurse can do your blood test for €30. Just phone around a few GPs and see will someone just give you a nurse appt?

Avatar MIA

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

... there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

Go work in the UK and be prepared for a not inconsiderable wait to be processed through the NHS.

Or you can pay for what is professional service and get it done pretty quickly.

Abraham Leibowitz

Wasn't expecting constructive responses but this is pretty helpful. McCabes do a glucose test which is one of the things I wanted to get done. I also wanted to find out if I'm low testosterone but seeing as I can just get the glucose test done for only €15 I think I'll just forget about it, just wish they offered that too.

endacl

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

there's gotta be a way to get a free blood test.

There is. Draw your own sample* and test it in your own lab**.

* if you're competent to do so
** if you have your own lab***
*** if you're competent to use it.

Why do people expect stuff for free?
The nurse/phlebotomist was trained to take the sample, and should be paid accordingly.
The courier who takes the sample to the lab can drive, and should be paid accordingly.
The lab technician who tests the sample is trained to do so, and should b paid accordingly.
Whoever interprets the results...

Abraham Leibowitz

"Why do people expect stuff for free?"

we live in a welfare state

Alf Veedersane

A welfare state provides for those unable to pay.

It doesn't usually provide for those who just don't want to pay.

Abraham Leibowitz

Almost by definition it provides things that people want and don't need. People want state healthcare, cheap university fees, child benefits, they don't need it. Countries where the state provides the bare minimum for people to get by aren't labelled welfare states - see: Russia, Japan.

My point being, students don't need university fees to only be €3000 a year they want it that way. I might as well gain from the system in place. Talking about whether expecting free crap all the time is ok isn't all that relevant in the end, people get free crap and that's just how it is. And that being said there's also no point shaming people from gaining from the system legitimately because I bet you're a burden on society for dozens of other reasons that I'm not. Stick to shaming people who're actually lying and scamming for free ****, and we all know people who are doing that.

I expect there are dozens of ways of getting free blood tests that are helpful for a lot of people to save their time/money. I decided to bite the bullet and spend 90 minutes waiting to see my GP the other day, paid his fee and got my blood test Thursday, so I'm not looking for one any more.

Abraham Leibowitz

c-r-a-p is censored? oh boy

Nonoperational

Lots of GPs will do bloods for less than a consultation visit. Why you need bloods as a matter interest?

endacl

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

c-r-a-p is censored? oh boy

Free crap! :mad:

Oh. Its not censored. It is free...

dorlydoo

To get a blood test you need a referral but most hospitals have a walk in clinic that is free e.g. connolly. The gp may charge anyway from 50-60 for the bloods referral. Sometimes it's good to see the gp for the follow up afterwards. Some Pharmacies can check cholesterol too

Brian?

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

Almost by definition it provides things that people want and don't need. People want state healthcare, cheap university fees, child benefits, they don't need it. Countries where the state provides the bare minimum for people to get by aren't labelled welfare states - see: Russia, Japan.

My point being, students don't need university fees to only be €3000 a year they want it that way. I might as well gain from the system in place. Talking about whether expecting free crap all the time is ok isn't all that relevant in the end, people get free crap and that's just how it is. And that being said there's also no point shaming people from gaining from the system legitimately because I bet you're a burden on society for dozens of other reasons that I'm not. Stick to shaming people who're actually lying and scamming for free ****, and we all know people who are doing that.

I expect there are dozens of ways of getting free blood tests that are helpful for a lot of people to save their time/money. I decided to bite the bullet and spend 90 minutes waiting to see my GP the other day, paid his fee and got my blood test Thursday, so I'm not looking for one any more.

You actually don't understand what a welfare state is. There is a nuance that completely escapes you it would appear.

Glad you got your blood test.

Dingle_berry

Abraham Leibowitz wrote: »

I expect there are dozens of ways of getting free blood tests that are helpful for a lot of people to save their time/money. I decided to bite the bullet and spend 90 minutes waiting to see my GP the other day, paid his fee and got my blood test Thursday, so I'm not looking for one any more.

There aren't. Not legally in Ireland. A diagnostic test can only be requested by a qualified clinician. Results are similar. For the purposes of patient protection.

It's a common misconception that once your numbers are within the reference ranges you're ok. That ignores the limitations of statistical normality and whether that 'normal' population represents you. Hence why only a trained professional can order a diagnostic test or interpret the results.

If we had a situation where anyone could attend a phelobotomy clinic and have blood drawn for whatever test they were interested in Ireland would need a lot more labs with a lot more Medical Laboratory Scientists (technologists don't exist in Ireland). The out-of-hours GP services would be way busier too as every out of range result must be notified to a clinician.

Mellor

Dingle_berry wrote: »

There aren't. Not legally in Ireland. A diagnostic test can only be requested by a qualified clinician. Results are similar. For the purposes of patient protection.

The fact they can only legally be requested by a qualified clinician doesn't mean that you can't have it done for free.

Dingle_berry

Mellor wrote: »

The fact they can only legally be requested by a qualified clinician doesn't mean that you can't have it done for free.

OK if you want to be absolutely precise than yes, every test performed in a public hospital lab is free for the patient. The HSE pays for the test, not the patient.
The requirement for a clinician to request and interpret the results negates that though. Unless you have a medical card or GP visit card.

Mellor

Dingle_berry wrote: »

OK if you want to be absolutely precise than yes, every test performed in a public hospital lab is free for the patient. The HSE pays for the test, not the patient.
The requirement for a clinician to requesst and interpret the results negates that though. Unless you have a medical card or GP visit card.

The original comment was that there has ways of getting a free blood tests.
You said there wasn't legally. Which isn't correct.

As you said, if you have a medical card you can get a free blood test, legally.
I imagine there are are other ways too, depending on your situation

Dingle_berry

Mellor wrote: »

The original comment was that there has ways of getting a free blood tests.
You said there wasn't legally. Which isn't correct.

As you said, if you have a medical card you can get a free blood test, legally.
I imagine there are are other ways too, depending on your situation

and what do you imagine these ways to be?