DUDLEY health chiefs say extra services and staff will mean patients will have more choice over where and when they can have blood tests.

From Monday March 16, The Dudley Group is offering blood tests for the first time at Guest Outpatient Centre.

Patients will be able to walk in from 8am to 1pm, five days a week.

The Trust is also expanding the service at Corbett Outpatient Centre in Amblecote, which offers a walk-in service five days a week from 8am to 6pm, and is in the process of hiring six extra staff to take blood tests.

Dr Alec Wolinski, clinical director for diagnostics at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are pleased to be able to offer blood tests at all three of our hospital sites which will not only offer patients more choice but allow them to be seen more quickly at Corbett or Guest.

“The additional staff at Corbett will not only help to reduce waiting times but also allow us to introduce a booked appointment service for people who need to fast before a blood test in the near future.”

The improvements to the service will also include more blood test stations and waiting areas. Patients can also have an appointment-based blood test at 13 GP practices across the borough, including Netherton, Brierley Hill, Kingswinford and Halesowen.

Dr Wolinski added: “We would strongly urge patients to visit a GP practice, Corbett or Guest to have a blood test instead of coming to Russells Hall Hospital. The hospital can get extremely busy, and patients will experience far shorter waiting times at one our outpatient centres.

“Since we moved the blood test location at Russells Hall Hospital, we have changed some blood test clinic times. We would ask patients to double check the times on their blood test forms before coming to hospital.”

A full list of blood test times and locations is available on the Trust’s website at http://dudleygroup.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/blood-tests/