How to book your child’s blood test

The Paediatric Phlebotomy Team takes routine and urgent blood samples from children from the ages of 1 to 13 years old.

If your GP has advised you to get a blood test for your child, please use the link below to book an appointment.  You will need to create a SwiftQueue account before you are able to book.

Please have your child’s blood test form with you, as we will need their NHS number and test details recorded on the form.

Online Appointment Healthcare Platform

If your child has additional health needs or is nervous about the test, please select Children’s blood test with additional needs when booking. This will give them a longer appointment time.

If you have attempted to book your blood test via Online Appointment Healthcare Platform and have experienced difficulty please try following our guide or email hrch.hounslow.childrensbloodtest@nhs.net. 

We recommend the use of EMLA or AMETOP cream. These are anaesthetic creams to help your child cope with the blood test process. You can get the cream for free from your GP via prescription or you can buy it over the counter at a pharmacy. Please see the information sheet for more details.

  • Bring your printed blood form with you. Your GP will provide you with this. If you do not have the blood test form the appointment may not go ahead.
  • Drink lots of water before the appointment
  • only fast (not eat) if you have been told that a ‘fasting’ blood test is required.
  • Apply numbing cream

We recommend the use of EMLA or AMETOP cream. These are anaesthetic creams to help your child cope with the blood test process. You can get the cream for free from your GP on prescription or you can buy it over the counter at a pharmacy.

Please see the information sheet for more details. 

How to apply EMLA or AMETOP cream

Arriving for your appointment

The phlebotomy clinic for children is based at:

Heart of Hounslow Centre for Health
Outpatient Department
92 Bath Road
Hounslow
TW3 3EL

Allow time for parking at the health centre - the car park is pay and display. Please arrive and report to the outpatient reception on the second floor, five minutes before your appointment with your blood test form. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late you may have re-book your appointment.  

Please make sure your child drinks two glasses of water at least two hours before the appointment - this makes it easier to take a blood sample.

At the appointment

To take your child’s blood, an adult must be present to help hold and comfort your child and parental consent must be given.

We are unable to carry out the blood test without this consent.

Please be aware, pregnant mothers are unable to hold children during blood tests due to risk of harm to the unborn child.

If you are expecting and attending with your child, please bring an additional adult to support if required.

After the appointment

  • If a bruise occurs, this will normally go away in three to five days
  • Please contact your consultant or GP seven to 14 days after your blood test for the results.

If your child has been asked to fast for Glucose or Cholesterol/Lipids blood tests, please make an early morning appointment for the test - appointments are available from 7.45am.

Children should have nothing to eat or drink for six hours before their appointment. Please encourage them to drink two to three glasses of water when they wake up.

If your child has had to fast for a blood test, you may want to bring a snack for your child to eat after the appointment.

EMLA/AMETOP local anaesthetic cream can provide pain relief for some children.

If your doctor has prescribed the EMLA / AMETOP cream for your child, please obtain this from your local pharmacy. Alternatively, it can be purchased over the counter.

You should apply the cream one hour before the appointment time, on the inside crease of both arms at the elbow, over an area approximately 5 cm x 5 cm and on top of both hands. Wrap the area the cream has been applied in cling film to prevent it from being rubbed off.

For more information, please read the sheet below.

How to apply EMLA or AMETOP cream

Referrals must be made by a Hounslow based GP or the Child Development Team.

The blood test form will need to be given to the patient to bring to the appointment.

If your referral states that it is urgent at the top of the form – please call: 020 3771 6022

The children’s blood test team at West London is made up of an experienced and diverse range of male and female clinicians.

Our Clinicians 

Cindy – Paediatric Phlebotomist

Hiren – Paediatric Phlebotomist

Sheetal – Paediatric Phlebotomist

Vicky – Paediatric Phlebotomy Lead

We also have additional phlebotomy trained and healthcare support staff that help us in clinic.

Contact information 

Telephone: 0203 771 6022 

Email: hrch.hounslow.childrensbloodtest@nhs.net 

Details required at time of booking: State the name, NHS number and contact details. If your child has additional needs, please inform staff on the phone so that we can offer a longer appointment if needed.

Clinic hours: Monday to Friday are 07.45am to 3.30pm, (last appointment at 3pm)

Address: Heart of Hounslow Centre for Health, Outpatient Department, 92 Bath Road, Hounslow, TW3 3EL