A DAUGHTER who was left horrified after her mum was left bruised and with an infection following a blood test has called for a pin-prick testing to return.

Carolyn Lucking's 88-year-old mum, Jean Johnson, takes warfarin for a heart condition, which is regularly monitored at her home in Hunderton by nurses.

Until recently it was checked by pricking her finger and the results could be given straight away.

But it has now changed and Mrs Johnson, who lives in Villa Street, Hereford, had to give blood through a vein in her arm.

After a nurse took a number of attempts to do this, her right arm was left heavily bruised and she contracted an infection turning her arm purple.

Mrs Lucking is calling for the pin-prick monitoring to be brought back.

She said: "I don't think it is fair for old people to go through something like this.

"Someone in their wisdom in an office somewhere has decided to change the method of taking blood and it has badly affected an old lady of 88."

Spokesman for the Wye Valley NHS Trust, Fiona Gurney, said the trust was made aware of uncertain quality assurance issues regarding the near patient (pin-prick) testing equipment for warfarin monitoring being used by district nurses in the community and decided to suspend its use for patient safety reasons and introduce a venous testing system (blood taken from a vein).

She said: "We understand that Jean has experienced discomfort during blood testing, which can happen in a small number of cases in particular for patients who regularly require blood testing.

"Our team of district nurses, who are visiting Jean regularly, are working closely with Jean, her GP and the healthcare professionals involved to find a suitable alternative for blood testing, which will provide accurate results.

"It is anticipated that pin-prick testing will be re-introduced as soon as a safe and reliable system has been developed."