North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) began delivering blood tests and post operative wound care in September 2025 after GPs in the area decided not to continue delivering that work.
A meeting of NCIC directors in January heard that clinicians are “pressurised” by this increase in demand on their services.
A corridor in West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven. (Image: Stuart Walker)
But North Cumbria’s Local Medical Committee (LCM) says that GPs would not normally deliver blood tests and this industrial action highlights how far surgeries are going outside their standard NHS contract to deliver healthcare services that are not funded elsewhere.
GP at Carlisle Healthcare and vice chair of North Cumbria’s LCM, Ellen Welch said: “It’s not just about funding but ultimately patient safety and it’s incredibly frustrating that we’re in this situation in North Cumbria.
“If you look at other areas in the UK, most if not all hospitals will have an outpatient phlebotomy department, where patients go to get bloods done. Prior to GP’s taking action last August, this service did not exist in North Cumbria and GPs absorbed this work.”
Dr Welch estimates that prior to this action, 20 to 30 per cent of a GP’s daily workload was dealing with requests and clinical tasks from other health providers.”
A GP writing a prescription. (Image: PA)
She said: “Some GP practices have continued to absorb this work which obviously sends mixed messages that GPs can do this – but it is unsustainable and is plugging commissioning gaps that should be adequately resourced by the ICB.
“GPs can not be the last resort and feel pressured to take on the work of other services just because the service has not been adequately commissioned, but often we are, because otherwise – what will patients do?”
She said that the industrial action taken by GPs is about “raising these issues and asking for better services for our patients.”
In a stark warning to address gaps in healthcare, both locally and nationally, Dr Welch said: “We are at a point where general practice is at risk of collapse – surgeries are closing and to prevent more patients losing their local surgeries we need to take action.”
The NHS site at Hilltop Heights, where blood tests are being delivered during the GP industrial action. (Image: Google Street View)
A spokesperson for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: “We are working closely with practices and the Local Medical Committee to clarify arrangements for taking blood samples and providing simple wound care.
“We hope to have new contracts in place soon to make things clearer for patients, practices and the hospital trust.”
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Dr Welch clarified that GPs in Cumbria still carry out blood tests that patients need as part of their core work. They have stopped providing the blood tests that would traditionally be carried out by hospital trusts.
GP leadership teams and the LMC are in discussion with the ICB and NCIC leaders to resolve the situation.
Blood tests and post-operative wound care services are being provided at a number of NCIC community hubs across Carlisle and West Cumbria.
To find out where to access this care, visit: www.ncic.nhs.uk/news/important-changes-way-follow-blood-tests-and-post-operative-wound-care-are-provided-north-cumbria