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At the Royal Free London, adults and children can take blood tests at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.
Adult blood tests can also be booked for Edgware Community Hospital.
We might use a blood test to diagnose and treat several conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid problems, signs of kidney damage, or prostate cancer or ovarian cancer.
The blood test service at our hospitals works on an appointment basis only.
Your (or your child’s) blood sample will be taken by a phlebotomist who is specially trained to perform your test. Phlebotomists will not discuss your blood results or your medical condition.
If you have questions about your blood test or need help understanding blood test results, please speak to your doctor or consultant, or nursing staff at the clinic.
After your blood test, you may have a small bruise. This is normal and will go down after a few days in the way any other bruise does.
If the blood test is for a child or teenager (up to 16 years old and in full-time education), then please contact our paediatric outpatient department.
Book an appointment at Barnet Hospital (external website)
You can also call us to book your appointment: 020 7443 9757. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Please bring your confirmation text/email.
- Please do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment.
Opening times
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.45pm
Book an appointment at Chase Farm Hospital (external website)
You can also call us to book your appointment: 020 7443 9757. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Please bring your confirmation text/email.
- Please do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment.
Opening times
- Monday to Thursday: 8am to 7.40pm
- Friday: 8am to 3.45pm
Book an appointment at Edgware Community Hospital (external website)
- Please bring your confirmation text/email.
- Please do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment.
Opening times
- Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 9am to 4.40pm.
Tel: 020 8349 7460. Line open: Monday to Friday, 7am to 12noon.
Book an appointment (external website):
- Patients aged 12 and over.
- Bring your confirmation text/email.
- Do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment.
- This clinic is by appointments only.
Opening times
• Monday to Friday: Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm
• Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 8pm
Address
Finchley Memorial Hospital, Granville Road, N12 0JE.
There is no facility to print your blood test form so please bring in your printed paper blood form. This service at Finchley is run by the Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
Book an appointment if your GP has referred you to have a test (external website)
Book an appointment if you are an outpatient and your consultant/nurse has referred you to have a test (external website)
- Please bring your confirmation text/email.
- Please do not arrive any earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment.
You can also call us to book your appointment on 020 7443 9757. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
Opening times
• Monday to Friday: 7.40am to 5.30pm
• Saturday: 7.40am to 1pm
If you believe your child may be at risk of having COVID-19, please do not book them a blood test appointment.
Children below the age of 11 are seen by appointment only in the Galaxy children’s clinic at Barnet Hospital.
Book your child's appointment (external website)
If you are unable to book an appointment online, please call 020 7794 0500, extension 32312, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 4pm.
To keep our staff and patients as safe as possible, only one adult can accompany the child. Upon arrival in the clinic, the parent, guardian, or the adult accompanying will be asked to consent that blood is taken.
Opening times:
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm (excluding bank holidays)
Children below the age of 11 or who have special requirements are seen by appointment only in the paediatrics department at Chase Farm Hospital.
Book your child's appointment (external website)
If you are unable to book an appointment online, please call 020 7794 0500 ext 32312, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 4pm.
Upon arrival in the clinic, parents, guardians, or the adult accompanying your child will be asked to consent that blood is taken. If your child is being accompanied by another adult, you must complete a consent form in advance.
Opening times
- Tuesday: 9am to 12.50pm
- Wednesday: 9am to 2pm
- Thursday: 9am to 3.30pm
- Friday: 9am to 12.40pm
Young people between the ages of 11 and 16 are seen by appointment only in the blood test unit at Chase Farm Hospital. They need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
If the young person is being accompanied by another adult, a parent or guardian must complete a consent form. Upon arrival in the clinic, parents, guardians, or the accompanying adult will be asked to consent that blood is taken.
Book your child’s appointment (external website)
Children below the age of 16 are seen by appointment only at the Royal Free Hospital.
If you feel the blood test is urgent and cannot wait until the next available appointment, please discuss this with your GP.
The children's blood test clinic is open for all blood tests for children within the London boroughs of Barnet and Camden.
Opening times
- Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm (excluding bank holidays).
If you need any other assistance, please call 020 7794 0500, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 9am to 5pm.
Our telephone lines are busy and waiting times are longer than usual. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
- Bring a printed paper blood test request form or GP forms with you. Your child's GP will be able to provide the form. Without this, we will not be able to perform the blood test and the appointment will need to be rescheduled.
- Bring the confirmation text or email with you — you will not be able to enter the hospital without it.
- To keep our staff and patients as safe as possible, only one adult can accompany the child. Upon arrival in the clinic, the parent or guardian, or the adult accompanying, will be asked to consent for blood to be taken.
- If you are concerned you or your child is COVID-19 positive, please contact us as appointments may need to be rescheduled.
Members of staff, patients and visitors are no longer required to wear a mask in public, clinical and non-clinical areas across the Royal Free London, except when specifically indicated.
Please continue to take precautions based on your situation and anyone is welcome to wear a mask if they feel safer doing so.
Tay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder, more commonly seen in Jewish families. If both parents are carriers, they will be healthy, but this couple would have a one in four risk in each pregnancy of having a baby with this incurable, fatal neurological disorder.
If you are Ashkenazi, your carrier chance would be around 1 in 25 (4%).
Tay-Sachs itself is rare. You cannot tell if you are a carrier without testing. You could be a healthy carrier even if the recessive disorder has not been seen in your family.
For people who are based in north-west London, please contact your GP. They will make a referral to the North West Thames Regional Genetics Service for a virtual appointment with a genetic counsellor. The family history will be recorded, and a blood test for Tay-Sachs carrier testing arranged.
If you are pregnant, an urgent referral should be sent by either a midwife or a GP. It should state there is a pregnancy, with dates. The referral should have both partners’ names, birth dates, and NHS numbers.
After the appointment, patients will be asked to book their blood test.
The appointment, forms, and samples are specific for Tay-Sachs only and organised by the genetic counsellor. The counselling appointment covers test options and implications.
Carrier testing is best done before or early in pregnancy.
