GPs, boards see room for Labtests to improve

Auckland's new community laboratory service has received only qualified approval ratings from GPs and the region's health boards after its first 17 days.

A group representing nearly 600 Auckland GPs said yesterday Labtests had plenty of potential, while a district health boards manager was "reasonably happy" with the service.

Labtests began its takeover of the health boards-financed community laboratory service from Diagnostic Medlab on August 10, starting in Counties Manukau. The transition is scheduled to be done on September 7, in Waitemata. The central Auckland health district, including Waiheke Island, switched over on Monday.

Procare Health has been monitoring its members' experience of the Labtests service.

Group chairman Dr Peter Didsbury said yesterday: "We still believe they have the potential for delivering an adequate or good service, but we are not there yet".

"GPs are reporting difficulties for patients getting access to collection centres, which is perhaps the widest concern. We would have thought after a couple of weeks in Counties Manukau that would have been improving.

"There is still concern with the turnaround time for some tests."

Dr Didsbury said GPs thought more staff or more collection centres were needed.

The DHBs' laboratory project manager, Tim Wood, said a few bumps were to be expected but Labtests was working as fast as possible to smooth them out.

"I'm reasonably happy with how things have gone. There's still a bit of room for improvement. I think Labtests acknowledge that. It will take a wee while to bed that down."

Labtests chief executive Ulf Lindskog yesterday acknowledged some patients had faced long waits at first. But the maximum wait recorded this week was 45 minutes; the average at peak times was 25-30 minutes in Counties Manukau, which was "very, very good", and 20-25 minutes in the Auckland health district, "extremely good".