We offer a blood collection, phlebotomy, service at Riccarton Clinic at a low cost throughout our opening hours. A free service is offered nearby by Canterbury Southern Community Laboratories during the majority of our opening hours.
If your doctor has requested a blood sample for testing then you will need to go to a phlebotomy service. Your doctor will have advised you whether the test is fasting (no food after midnight before the test) or non-fasting.
For eligible patients, NZ Residents with health concerns in the main, blood sample testing is at no charge but the cost of taking the sample is not covered if you have the sample taken in a GP surgery. Neither the testing nor the sample taking are at no charge if you are not eligible. In the main this applies to non-residents and NZ residents who are having tests for study, travel or work.
The cost of taking the sample is covered if you go to a community-based facility. In Christchurch the community-based collection services are provided by Canterbury Southern Community Laboratories (CSCL). CSCL no longer operate from Riccarton Clinic. Their new address is 3B Waimairi Road (near the end of Joe's Garage) - approximately two minutes flat ground walk from the rear of our building. Their site hours are 7.30am to 4.15 pm weekdays and 8am to 11am Saturdays.
If this location is not convenient you can find their other locations on their website (www.canterburyscl.co.nz).
You can check further information about the tests on the CSCL website – the information is rather complex, look up your test first then read the notes.
Outside of the hours that CSCL provide, our nurses will take blood samples but there is a small charge for that. You may also decide to pay rather than make a journey to use the 'free' service, the choice is yours.
