Test results

Specimens such as urine and stool samples that are collected at home should be handed in before 3pm. This is because the samples are picked from the surgery for delivery to the hospital at around 3.30pm, and it may not be appropriate to store some of them overnight. Please ensure your name and date of birth are on the container.

Below is an approximate guide to how long results can take to come through.

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
• 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. 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 child’s hand will often be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

Blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed.

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 in the lungs.

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.

X-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks.