March 2019

Your role may involve ‘taking bloods’ from patients, residents or service users. The technical term for taking bloods is ‘phlebotomy.’ This guide explains why phlebotomy is so important. It will explain who can take blood samples, the importance of good training and what this training may involve. It's aimed at anyone working in health and social care. Even if you’re unlikely to take blood samples, you may need to support colleagues or patients, request blood tests or help patients respond to results. So, it's good practice for all staff to understand how and why phlebotomy is performed. Read More