Stall last Labtests switch, say GPs

Peter Didsbury. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The switch in laboratory providers should have been slowed down after the new service began to struggle, says an organisation representing half of Auckland's GPs.

Procare Health, which speaks for 500 GPs and 400 practice nurses in the wider Auckland region, suggested to the district health boards that the transition of Waitemata to Labtests be temporarily halted.

But the health boards were committed to completing the transition next week.

Chairman Peter Didsbury said the recommendation was a result of feedback from medical practices. Many patients had faced long waiting times for tests and doctors had not received urgent test results within 24 hours.

"The DHBs have to juggle a great number of competing decisions and we respect that. But we were concerned that Labtests were under a considerable amount of stress," he said.

"We accepted that there would be some teething troubles, but we think the level of service isn't what we anticipated it would be ... there is a lot of work to do."

The transition from former health board-funded provider Diagnostic Medlab to Labtests is scheduled to be complete on Monday in Waitemata. Counties Manukau made the switch on August 10 and the central Auckland health district on August 25.

Mr Didsbury understood a delay in the rollout was logistically difficult. He said Procare's imperative was now on working with Labtests to improve patient access and communication between GPs and labs.

Diagnostic Medlab said it would have the resources and staff to continue services if a delay in switching was required.

Auckland District Health Board chairman Pat Snedden said the postponement of Waitemata's move to Labtests was seriously considered.

"At every stage of transition we have asked ourselves 'Are we ready to do this' and 'Is this the right time'. And the answer in this case was 'yes'.

"There is a lot of opinion about whether this is the right thing to do. But the clinical community is being fastidious in ensuring that the risks of patients are managed."

GPs who spoke to the Weekend Herald echoed Procare's concerns. In one case, a GP was denied access to blood test results for a patient with disseminated bowel cancer for 16 days. The doctor was told he could not access the results because his name was not on the request form.

Seven senior doctors from South Auckland this week lodged a complaint with Health Minister Tony Ryall and the Health and Disability Commissioner, calling for better lab services.

Group spokesman Dr Stephen Kara said the letter criticised patient access to blood services, the skill of technicians and the slow response time in receiving lab results.

"The second and third problems will get better with time. But patient access is a physical thing and we can't see that getting better."