HomeLink Healthcare and the London Clinic: Improving Oncology Pathways Through At-Home Blood Testing

Homelink Healthcare have partnered with the London Clinic to introduce an at-home blood collection service ahead of patients’ chemotherapy appointments. By working in a patient-centric and community-focused way, the waiting time for treatment has been reduced by an average of 83% for patients who have their bloods taken in advance.

This substantial improvement that not only enhances patient satisfaction but also reduces the physical and emotional burden associated with long hospital visits—particularly important for oncology patients undergoing intensive treatment.
The benefits extend beyond those directly using the at-home service. By shifting a proportion of taking bloods into the community, HomeLink Healthcare has alleviated pressure on The London Clinic’s in-house phlebotomy services.

As a result, patients who continue to have their bloods taken at the clinic have also experienced up to 40% shorter waiting times from appointment to treatment. This demonstrates how redistributing workload can create system-wide efficiencies, improving the experience for all patients, not just those using the new service.
An often-overlooked benefit is the additional time this model provides to pharmacy teams. With blood results available earlier, pharmacists have more time to prepare chemotherapy medications. This reduces time pressure, supports accuracy, and enhances overall treatment safety.

HomeLink Healthcare’s service offers a standard 48-hour turnaround for blood testing, with the flexibility to adjust to 24-hour or 72-hour windows depending on clinical need. This adaptability provides several key advantages:

• Early identification of abnormal (deranged) blood results, allowing clinicians more time to assess and respond appropriately.
• Opportunities for repeat testing, particularly in cases where initial samples are inconclusive or unsuccessful (e.g., difficult venous access).
• Improved contingency planning, ensuring that patients are not delayed on the day of treatment due to avoidable issues.

The collaboration between The London Clinic and HomeLink Healthcare represents a shift toward a more proactive and patient-centric model. By moving essential but routine elements of care—such as blood testing—into the home, which has improved patient flow, and created a more responsive and resilient oncology service.

While the partnership is one between two private providers, the model demonstrates the way in which community and acute providers can support improved patient experiences while shifting care into the community.

Patient experience in the independent sector has also been a focus of InHealth’s creation of a Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) in collaboration with the Patients Association, bringing patients directly into discussions around pathways, communication, access and experience.