Phlebotomy (Blood Test)

Phlebotomy (Blood test)

University Hospitals Plymouth currently provides three phlebotomy (blood test) clinics for patients over the age of 16.

Windsor House, Tavistock Road.
Main Outpatient Department/SDEC, Level 6, Derriford Hospital
Dartmoor Building, first floor, Derriford Hospital.

GP and hospital non-urgent requests

All GP patients must book an appointment.
All hospital patients with routine, non-urgent requests must also book an appointment.

Urgent / Same day Blood Tests

Hospital patients being referred by a hospital consultant or clinic that need bloods done urgently or have other same-day appointments, such as haematology and oncology patients, can attend Windsor House or Derriford Main Outpatients/ SDEC without an appointment at any time but we cannot guarantee the wait time.

We have protected the following times for urgent / same-day patients:

Windsor House: 8am to 11am, Monday and Tuesday
Derriford Hospital Main Outpatients/SDEC: 8am to 11am, Monday to Friday

We cannot guarantee patients without an appointment will be seen after 4pm if demand is high. Patients will be sent back to their referring clinic if their tests are urgent and they cannot book an appointment for another time.

Specialist Blood Tests

Patients requiring specialist blood tests (samples that must be kept on ice, protected from light, or processed within 15 minutes) must attend Derriford Main Outpatient/SDEC on Level 6.

Windsor House, Tavistock Road

For

All routine, non-urgent patients, over the age of 16 from GPs or the hospital – booking required.
Hospital patients with urgent or same day requests – no booking required but we cannot guarantee the wait time. Protected time Monday and Tuesday 8am to 11am.
Do not attend Windsor House if you require a specialist test.

Opening times:

Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm
Closed on Bank Holidays

How to get your blood test:

Booking your blood test:

GP patients, and hospital patients requiring routine, non-urgent blood tests must book an appointment online.
We use a booking system called Swiftqueue.
You can use your NHS login rather than creating a new account. If you don’t have an NHS account, you can set one up – see our NHS Login and app section.
You can choose a date and time that suits up to 16 weeks. You will receive confirmation of your appointment and reminders by email or text.
If you are unable to access the Swift Queue system, please ask a relative, friend or carer for support. If you are still unable to access the system, please contact 01752 433040 who will be able to help with appointment scheduling or system access issues.

Book an adult blood test

Arriving at Windsor house:

There is no longer a receptionist at Windsor House.

For your appointment, please use the kiosk in the atrium by the parking desk and check yourself in, and go to the waiting room.
You will be called by name when it is your appointment time

Urgent and same-day patients without a booking

Urgent and same-day patients without a booking need to follow the signs to the waiting room and take a ticket in the waiting room. You will be called by number when it is your turn, and we cannot guarantee the wait time.

Getting here

Windsor House, Tavistock Road, Derriford, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 5UF

There is allocated parking for visitors at the front of the building.
Parking for patients is free for the first two hours. Please give your car registration number at reception on arrival.
Parking is free for Disabled badge holders.

View Google map of Windsor House, Tavistock Road

Main Outpatient Department, Derriford Hospital

For 

All routine, non-urgent patients, over the age of 16 from GPs or the hospital – booking required.
Hospital patients with urgent or same day requests – no booking required but we cannot guarantee the wait time. Protected time Monday to Friday 8am to 11am.
Any patients that require a specialist test.

Opening times:

Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm.
Friday, 8am to 4:30pm.
Closed on Bank Holidays

How to get your blood test

Referred by your GP or non-urgent blood test

If you have been referred by your GP, or need a non-urgent blood test, you MUST book online.

We use a booking system called Swiftqueue.
You can use your NHS login rather than creating a new account. If you don’t have an NHS account, you can set one up - see our NHS Login and app section.
You can choose a date and time that suits up to 16 weeks. You will receive confirmation of your appointment and reminders will be sent by email or text.
If you are unable to access the Swift Queue system, please ask a relative, friend, or carer for support. If you are still unable to access the system, please contact 01752 433040 who will be able to help with appointment scheduling or system access issues.

Book an adult blood test

Arriving at Main Outpatients:

For your appointment, go to the main outpatient/SDEC area on level 6, and go to Waiting Room 2.
Use the screen next to the phlebotomy room door and check yourself in. You do not need a ticket.
You will be called by name when it is your appointment time.
Please do not arrive more than 30 min before your appointment.

Referred by a clinic for an urgent blood test and cannot book an appointment

If you have been referred by a consultant or clinic at University Hospitals Plymouth and need an urgent blood test, you do not need to book.
Go to the main outpatient/SDEC area on level 6, and go to Waiting Room 2.
Take a ticket from the stand next to the phlebotomy room door. When the waiting room is full, the phlebotomy team will remove the tickets.
You will be called in when it is your turn.
We cannot guarantee you will be seen after 4pm if there is a large queue.

Getting here

Main Outpatients, Level 6, Derriford Hospital, Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8DH. View the Derriford Hospital Level 6 floor map

Visit our public transport and car parking page

Contact us

01752 430876

Dartmoor Building Outpatients, Derriford Hospital

For 

Only for patients attending appointments within Dartmoor Building.

Opening times: 

Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm.
Friday, 8am to 4:30pm.
Closed on Bank Holidays.

How to get your blood test

You will be directed by clinical staff if you need a blood test before or after your appointment.
Go to the main waiting area on the first floor and take a ticket.
You will be called by number when it is your turn.
There is no option to book an appointment; Dartmoor Building phlebotomy is a drop-in only service for patients with other appointments in Dartmoor.

Contact us 

01752 430876

Getting here 

Outpatients, Level 1, Dartmoor Building, Derriford Hospital, Derriford Road, Plymouth, PL6 8BQ. View the Derriford Hospital site map

Visit our public transport and car parking page

NHS Login and app

To create an NHS login you’ll need:

A smartphone or tablet with internet access
An email address you can access
Your NHS number (if you have it) or details such as your full name, date of birth and postcode
A form of photo ID (passport, UK or EU driving licence, or UK biometric residence permit) for identity verification

Download the NHS App

Go to the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Google Play Store (Android).
Search for “NHS App” and install it.

Open the App and Start Sign-Up

Tap “Continue with NHS login.”
Select “Create an account.”

Enter Your Details

Provide your email address and create a password.
You’ll receive a security code by email—enter it in the app to confirm your email.
Add your mobile number; you’ll get a text code to verify.

Prove Your Identity

When prompted, choose “Verify your identity online.”
Follow the on-screen instructions to:

Take a photo of your chosen ID document (UK passport, UK photocard driving licence (full or provisional), UK biometric residence permit (BRP)).
Record a short video of yourself reading the provided phrase (this checks you match the photo ID).

Link Your NHS Record

Enter your NHS number (if known) or your name, date of birth and postcode so the system can match your GP record.

Complete Setup

Once verified, you’ll receive confirmation—this can take a few hours.
Sign back in with your email and password.
Set up the app’s security (Face ID, Touch ID, or a 6-digit passcode).

If you don’t have photo ID, the app offers an alternative route: you can request a linkage key from your GP practice to finish sign-up.

Keep your email and password safe; you’ll need them whenever you log in.

You can also create an NHS login via a web browser at NHS App and then use the same credentials in the app.

Information for staff and healthcare professionals

Phlebotomists are part of the Assistant Technical Officer (ATO) group of staff based within the Combined Laboratory. The phlebotomy team provides a venepuncture service to both inpatients and outpatients.

For safe-sample labelling requirements and procedure please refer to the Trust document ‘Hospital Transfusion Policy’ [TRW.HGV.POL.269], Blood Sampling, section 7.

Main Outpatient Department, Level 6, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth

This is the best location for patients with procedures or appointments on the same day. Please state if applicable and staff will send bloods immediately to the laboratory.
Unless stated as urgent, samples are collected from the clinic at 11am, 2pm, 4pm and at the end of the day.
Requests for specialist tests must also be done at this location (i.e. the samples must be kept on ice, in the dark, processed within 15 min).

The Community Hub: Windsor House, Tavistock Road, Plymouth

Not suitable for urgent bloods, patients with procedures the same day, or for specialist tests. Please use the main OPD phlebotomy service at Derriford Hospital in the main outpatient’s department, Level 6.
The team will pause booking in patients when the waiting room is full and over lunchtime (12pm to 1pm) when there is reduced staff in the phlebotomy room.
All samples are collected from the clinic and sent to the lab at 4.50 pm.

Patients under 16

The Phlebotomy team are unable to see patients under the age of 16. For patients under the age of 16 please contact:

The Children & Young Peoples Outpatients Department

Level 12

Derriford Hospital

01752 245126 or 01752 430927