Gosling's Grouse: Baying for blood

GOSLING'S GROUSE

When a phlebotomist sticks a needle in a vein you pay attention. He or she has you just where they want you.

And you need them because your doctor has told you to go and see them for a blood test. I go about once a month just to check my blood is going up and down my artificial valves properly so I can go on writing this column. I need the phlebotomists and they view what they do as a public service – quite rightly because, let us be honest, having needles shoved in veins is not something you do for a laugh. So last week, on the morning it was announced Stephen Hester was giving up his shares bonus, I thought I would ask one civil servant – the phlebotomist – what he thought about another – ...