Difficulty with getting pathology tests at Wisbech hospital is enough to make patients' blood boil

A local councillor has branded an NHS service as 'hopeless and terrible' amid dozens of complaints from disgruntled patients.

Councillor Sam Hoy and MP Steve Barclay have both questioned what is going on with pathology services at the North Cambs Hospital in Wisbech following a spate of complaints they have received, together with angry posts put on social media.

Patients needing blood tests have complained of long waiting times for appointments and difficulty in getting through to make an appointment in the first place.

Coun Hoy said: "The current policy has gone from being a walk-in service to having to telephone for an appointment.

"When you call call you often can't get through and if you are lucky enough to get through you are told they have no appointments and to call again in a few weeks.

"Occasionally you do get lucky and are able to book an appointment but this is often for three or four weeks later.

"GPs are aware of this and people are being sent to King's Lynn of Peterborough instead. Whilst it is a nice centre and it provides a good service, it is not practical for people to travel many miles for a simple blood test.

"If you can drive this process isn't too onerous, but I'm very aware how how it would be for non drivers.

"Whilst there is a bus from Wisbech to Peterborough it requires a fair amount of walking both ends to use, and many people are elderly and/or inform and are not able to walk this distances.

"A lot patients are feeling very anxious about this delay as they require frequent blood tests due to medication and are struggling to have them.

"Nowhere else in the county seems to have this system and to be honest we feel like we are being treated as second class citizens."

Coun Hoy added: "One of the people I have spoken to about this managed to get through after trying the number about 50 times - she said it felt like the phone was off the hook - and when she finally spoke to someone she was told to call back on February 28 to try to book an appointment then.

"It actually beggars belief that local people are being offered such a hopeless and terrible service."

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group has been asked for a comment.