Tests & Results

Please call our enquiry line OPTION 5 between 10:00 and 15:00 to enquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.  

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice, this is usually one week.

Please understand that our reception staff are not medically qualified and so cannot answer any questions about your results.  Our receptionists can only pass on to you the message recorded on your results report by the doctor.   If the doctor needs to see or speak to you urgently regarding any test results, you will be contacted by the surgery.   In all other cases, it is the patient's responsibility to contact the surgery to obtain laboratory test results. You may be advised to make an appointment with your GP to discuss the results. 

Hospital Tests

If you have had tests carried out in hospital you should contact the hospital clinic direct to discuss the results.

Lab Test Online

Labtest Online is a website which provides further information regarding any lab tests you may have:

http://labtestsonline.org.uk

For samples such as urine, stool / faeces and sputum tests, containers can be obtained from reception.  

Please hand laboratory specimens into reception before 14:00 on weekdays, making sure you have clearly labelled the specimen with your name, date of birth and the day the sample was taken.  These will then be sent to the laboratory for testing.

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

• assess your general state of health
• confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
• see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The childs hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have an X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.