Is it possible for a UK resident to have a blood test in France?
A ball park figure on cost, please?
Yes itās possible. The cost depends how many separate tests you need.
Normal procedure is, you visit a GP who writes a prescription. Consultation with the GP is around 25ā¬
You take the prescription to a nurse. She makes a small charge per blood sample needed.
The main cost is for the results from the medical laboratory, here again the more different analyses they carry out the higher the cost.
Iām sure thereās a website that will give you precise figures but for a ball park figure, trying to remember last time I took someone for blood tests, if itās to help with a diagnosis and there are a number of analyses the cost could be maybe 80 - 100ā¬?
I have a feeling there may be another route where you go direct to the laboratory and bypass the nurse, maybe even the GP as well, but I have no experience of that.
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Our local Laboratory which does blood tests charges around 40-50 euro for a full set if someone has to payā¦ (ie no carte vitale/mutelle)
folk go there 6 days a week ā¦ and if you go early enough in the morning, the results are available by around 5pmā¦ (on-line or posted or collectedā¦)
However, they will need a Doctorās prescription in order to take the blood and do the necessary testingā¦
so ball park figure is 25 euro + 40/50 = less than 100 euroā¦
hope this helpsā¦
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Just a thoughtā¦ a foreigner would probably have to provide a passport with the prescription, as proof of identityā¦ (perhaps ???)
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Weāve always needed proof of ID even with a CV.
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this is a list of laboratoriesā¦ you can check with your nearestā¦ ask them how much ā¦
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Nope, not in 20 yearsā¦ not at our local āDraculaās Denāā¦ 
but at the hospitalā¦ oh yesā¦ every timeā¦
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I have never had to show id
Do you have a CV?
Of course.
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There is walk-in lab in our nearest bigger town where you can get tests done. Sometimes itās a bit of a wait thoā, but if you are paying for yourself then no prescription needed. You do have to know what tests you want of course! Preferably in French.
I used to use this service before we moved over permanently, as I have to have regular tests. The basic (full blood count, inflammation markers and liver enzymes) was about 6ā¬ for the nurse and 60ā¬ for the tests.
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I had a āfull setā of blood tests last year, and I paid around 50 ā¬. The āroutineā test was prescribed by my MT and I have a CV.
From memory the āfull testā included a total and differential count of all blood cells, white, red and platelets, and haemoglobin titre to check for anaemia. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (broad brush indicator of active disease if significantly raised).
The tests on blood serum included electrolytes (vital āsaltsā including potassium and calcium levels) urea and urates (kidney function), tests of hepatic and biliary (liver) function, vital vitamin levels, fasting blood glucose (basic test for diabetes), blood lipids (cholesterol) and - for men - tests on prostatic enzymes. More or less a basic medicalCT/MOT.
Expect nurse to fill several small bottles of your red stuff, painlessly.
An essential annual assay of basic physical health and very worth the money. The charge is the laboratory fee. Some of the fee is refunded, but I canāt recall what percent.
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I had a full test of bloods done a couple of months ago, the cost was ā¬88.70.
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Lots of useful information, thank you.
I have never had to pay for blood tests, with prescription, so curious that some of you have to?
A young family member is visiting us soon.
He moved to London recently and having difficulty registering with a doctor.
He has developed symptoms which I feel a blood test might initially give us some peace of mind?
I find it everlastingly curious too, but have got used to it. I have to fork out 25ā¬ every time I visit my MT, just to renew a longstanding prescription for an antidepressant. Most of that is refunded promptly by the saintly and gorgeously pouting AmĆØlie 
.
Itās tedious and sometimes inconvenient, but it seems one has to grin and bear it: itās one of those charming oddities that go with la vie franƧaise. 
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Approximately twelve months ago our MT started the new system, of no payment to him.
Then suddenly his computer āsaidā my OH needed to pay 8 euros! He could not explain why, hey hoo its France 
suggest you book him in to see a doc here, they will usually agree to see a visitor if they can fit them inā¦ why not ask your own doc what he/she thinksā¦
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Our Doc is old-fashioned. At our last checkupā¦ I discovered my cheque book had run-out which was embarrassingā¦ our doc smiled and said to pay him double next timeā¦ phewā¦ new cheque book is now in bottom of my ābag of a thousand thingsā ready for my visit end of Marchā¦
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could depend on what Mutuelle cover one hasā¦ and (perhaps) why the test is being asked forā¦
each personās situation is/can-be so different to anotherāsā¦
This may be so, but the basis on which decisions are made should be less opaque. I shouldnāt need to burden my MT who is incredibly busy with this issue, and it might be construed as dissatisfaction, which most people would want to avoid in dealings with oneās doctor.
It also seems to be the case that other people in comparable situations as oneself donāt face the same impositions, and one obviously canāt pry into othersā circumstances to see what the differences might be.
So all in all the situation is frustrating. Needs streamlining and a joining-up of some dots IMO.
I also find that handing over money to the doctor over the desk is slightly grubby. I donāt begrudge the payment, but it feels sordid. Better if she had a receptionist, but she is totally single-handed, the receptionistās desk has been locked and deserted for five years, and there is no nurse or even a cleaner.
Peterā¦ each person should know what they are entitled to receive from the State and what they will have to pay for. If they do not knowā¦they should ask whoever is treating themā¦and their Insurers if they have a mutuelle/fullhealth cover or whateverā¦
Our doctor is quite clear about such thingsā¦ as is the pharmacist and all the many specialists we have seen over the yearsā¦ and the Insurance companies are very upfront tooā¦nothing is opaque or hiddenā¦ except one personās private info will certainly be hidden from those who do not need to knowā¦