Labtests to operate 25 fewer blood collection centres

Labtests has revealed the locations of its 56 collection centres, where patients' blood samples will be taken and other specimens will be collected.

The new network has 25 fewer than the 81 collection centres now run by Diagnostic Medlab, which will cease handling Auckland's community laboratory testing progressively as Labtests takes over from August 10.

However, both companies' bids for the Auckland district health boards' contract provided for fewer collection rooms, as sought by the three DHBs, which have said some current centres are too close to each other.

The inner city, for instance, will go from three centres to one.

Samples collected at the centres will be taken by Labtests' couriers to the company's laboratory in Mt Wellington. GP clinics will not need to take any samples unless they wish to. The current home-collection service will be retained.

Labtests says: "The network has been redesigned to improve accessibility to the service, with better overall proximity to GP clinics, healthcare centres, town centres and public transport systems."

Chief executive Ulf Lindskog said the final number of centres was three higher than the first draft, following extensive consultation with GPs, the DHBs and primary health organisations.

A number of centres would continue in their current premises and talks were continuing about others.

THE LOCATIONS ARE:

WAITEMATA
Beach Haven, 339 Rangatira Rd
Browns Bay, 8 Inverness Rd
Devonport, 2 Fleet St
Glen Eden, Westview Medical Centre
Glendene, 4343 Great North Rd
Glenfield, Westfield Shopping Centre
Helensville, 53-65 Commercial Rd
Henderson, 51 Lincoln Rd
Kumeu, 190 Main Rd
Mairangi Bay, Apollo Health Centre
Massey, Westgate Shopping Centre
Milford, 2B Dodson Ave
New Lynn, 3 Delta Ave
Northcote, 16-18 College Rd
Orewa, 18 Tamariki Ave
Ranui, 476 Swanson Rd
Takapuna, 353 Lake Rd
Te Atatu, Peninsula Medical Centre
Titirangi, 174A Golf Rd
Warkworth, 10 Percy St
Wellsford, 220 Rodney St
Whangaparaoa, 15 Rishwell Drive

AUCKLAND
Avondale, 57 Rosebank Rd
Blockhouse Bay, Blockhouse Bay Medical Centre
CBD, Level 2, 280 Queen St
Glen Innes, 161 Line Rd
Greenlane, Greenwood Medical Centre
Grey Lynn, 58 Brown St
Meadowbank, Meadowbank Shopping Centre
Mt Eden, 655 Dominion Rd
Mt Roskill, 223 Stoddard Rd
Mt Wellington, 37-41 Carbine Rd
Onehunga, Onehunga Medical Centre
Orakei, 230 Kupe St
Otahuhu, 11 Mason Ave
Panmure, Panmure Medical Centre
Pt Chevalier, 1194-1196 Great North Rd
Remuera, 126A Remuera Rd
St Heliers, Eastmed Medical Centre
Waiheke Island, 143 Ocean Rd, Oneroa

COUNTIES MANUKAU
Botany Junction, 110 Michael Jones Drive
Botany Rd, 301 Botany Rd
Chapel Downs, 124 Dawson Rd
Clendon, Clendon Medical Centre
Clevedon, 9 Main Rd
Howick, 46 Wellington St
Mangere, 29 Cape Rd
Manukau, 18 Wiri Station Rd
Manurewa, 161 Great South Rd
Otara, 120 East Tamaki Rd
Pakuranga, 2 William Roberts Rd
Papakura, 132A Great South Rd
Papatoetoe, 119 Kolmar Rd
Pukekohe, 10 West St
Tuakau, 55 George St
Waiuku, 92 Queen St