Blood testing services at Cirencester Hospital are set to be reinstated.

The NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group who run the service, closed the phlebotomy service in September, insisting that patients would have to get their tests done at local GP surgeries.

But the group has now conceded that the service needs to be 'strengthened and improved' and has announced plans to provide the service on five days per week.

From last month, only patients who were admitted on to the hospital’s wards or receiving outpatient treatment were still able to have their blood taken on site if their condition or treatment required it.

Since the changes were made, vulnerable patients have spoken of their difficulties getting a blood test.

Patients say they went from receiving same day blood tests to 'waiting two weeks for the same service', whilst others opted to make the 18 mile trip to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital via a £70 taxi fare.

A spokesman for the Gloucestershire NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: "Changes were made to blood testing services across Gloucestershire to improve the quality and equity of the service and ensure that patients receive care in the right place at the right time.

"In the South Cotswolds, in addition to the services provided at local GP Practices, outpatient blood testing on the day of the appointment continues to be available at Cirencester Hospital. However, for safety reasons, blood tests on a drop-in basis are no longer being carried out. This is due to Covid-19 and the need to ensure that patients and staff have received additional training.

"During October, there is a bookable blood testing clinic at Cirencester Hospital every Monday morning between 8.30am - 12.15pm.

"This service is available for patients who need to have blood tests as part of their consultant outpatient care.

"However, we recognise that service arrangements need to be strengthened and improved and we are working with the service providers and taking urgent action to progress this.

"From November 1, the bookable blood testing clinic (currently on Mondays only) will be available on three days every week (clinic times will be confirmed soon).

"Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, who will be providing the service, are taking the following steps:

"Recruiting additional staff who are qualified to take blood tests and transferring and training one member of staff with phlebotomy skills from another department to the service to provide the additional appointments.

"There are also plans to develop the current capacity and from December 1, the service will be provided on five days per week, with capacity to provide around 5,000 blood tests every year."

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (GCC, Bourton and Northleach) added: "At last month’s county council health scrutiny meeting a Cirencester resident raised this issue.

"I backed him up in his concerns and so I’m pleased that the NHS have shifted their position.

"Local people need easy access to blood tests and I look forward to this return of services to Cirencester Hospital."