# An NHS trust's phlebotomy policy makes the phlebotomist responsible for managing a patient's anxiety and distress about the procedure

Page: https://flyvolo.ai/en/changes/ev-20250604-phlebotomist-7
Date: 2025-06-04 · Stage: Constraint
Can this record move a task judgement? yes
Occupation: https://flyvolo.ai/en/careers/phlebotomist

## Scope

One English mental-health NHS trust. The policy applies to all of the trust's staff involved in delivering phlebotomy, including temporary, locum, agency and visiting staff. It says the phlebotomist must ensure a trauma-informed approach is used to manage any anxiety or distress about the procedure, and tells staff to reassure the patient and see that they have suitable pain relief. Version 4 is dated 4 June 2025 and was ratified in July 2025. It is one employer's binding rule for its own staff, in a trust whose patients may be especially distressed by the procedure; it puts calming the patient on a named person but says how the care is given more than who may give it, and it says nothing about devices.

## Source

- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust — Phlebotomy (Venepuncture) Policy, C34, version 4 (dated 4 June 2025, ratified July 2025) — https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/C34-Phlebotomy-Policy.pdf (primary source)

## What this means

At one NHS trust, calming a frightened patient during a blood draw is written into the phlebotomist's duties.

## What it does not show yet

It is one employer's policy about how the care is given, and it says nothing about devices.

## How to verify it yourself

Open the trust's phlebotomy policy C34 and find "The phlebotomist must ensure a trauma informed approach is used".


More: https://flyvolo.ai/llms.txt