Home Visit Service

Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays) 8.00am – 3.30pm.

Note: repeat bookings that fall on a public holiday will be rescheduled and the referrer advised.

Requests for a home visit must be made by the referring practitioner or authorised representative (e.g. Senior Nurse), not the patient, using Awanui Labs home visit request form.

Request forms must be emailed to Awanui Labs and not give to the patient as we need to sight the information on the form to complete the booking.

The home visit request cannot be booked if Awanui Labs has not received the request form.

With the exception of urgent requests, 24 hours’ notice is required for a home visit booking.

Best endeavours will be made to accommodate the individual needs of the patients, i.e. day, and time of day, however cannot be guaranteed.

Morning priority will be given to patients required to fast, or withhold medication.

If an urgent home visit is required the time frame will be confirmed after consultation with the referring practitioner.

If the home visit is unable to be scheduled on the requested date, the referring practitioner will be contacted.

The following information must be included on request forms:

• Complete patient details: NHI, full name, date of birth and gender
• Complete patient address
• Contact telephone numbers for patient and referrer
• Tests required
• Fasting or withholding medication, and time patient normally takes medication
• Relevant clinical details and reason home visit is required
• Any additional information that would affect the home visit e.g. patient can’t speak English
• Referrers signature

Awanui Labs will review regular home visit patients annually. Eligibility for home visits is assessed to ensure we can provide home visits to those patients with the greatest need.

A list of regular patients will be compiled and provided to the referring practitioner for review of the continued need for testing, the frequency of testing and eligibility for home visits.

Awanui Labs will notify the referring practitioner where there is evidence that the patient may no longer meet the home visit eligibility criteria.

Awanui Labs will notify the referring practitioner if the patient is repeatedly not at home at the time of visit or where circumstances have changed enabling the patient to visit a collection centre.

Patients are not permitted to make their own home visit bookings.

Patients should inform Awanui Labs as soon as possible if circumstances change that could affect their eligibility for a home visit e.g. patient admitted to hospital, moved house etc.

Any changes to the request must be communicated by the referrer.

Patients must ensure that all pets are restrained and that the mobile phlebotomist can safely gain access to the patient’s home.

Patients not home at the time of a visit will be left a calling card and advised to contact their referrer as soon as possible to avoid the cancellation of their next home visit.

The home visit will not proceed if the phlebotomist is not able to positively identify the patients.

Patients who are unable to effectively communicate their identification, e.g. non-English speaking, must provide photo ID or have a support person present who can provide identification.