Get test results

Getting your test results

When you attend for a test of any kind you will be told how long you should expect to wait for the results. Please bear this in mind.

Our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results therefore it is your responsibility to check them and make any necessary follow-up appointment with the doctor.

If your test results show that you need more tests or treatment, we will contact you.

Once a doctor has reviewed your test results, you can view them:

  • in your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
    • If you don’t have access to your record online, please request this in your online account or ask our reception team for help, ideally after 2 pm.
  • in your SystmOnline account
  • phone or visit us between 10am to 4pm and we will tell you what the results are

The results of tests carried out during hospital visits are not normally sent to the practice.

Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.

Questions about your results

If you want to talk to someone about your results, fill out our test results request form and someone will be in touch.

Why have I been asked to have a repeat test?

If a doctor asks you to have a repeat test, it is usually because:

  • The result was borderline or unclear, and the doctor wants another sample to monitor the situation or to re-check the results.
  • The result is abnormal, and the doctor cannot interpret the result without further tests and has asked you to come in for more tests.

Please do not worry if the doctor has asked you for a repeat test. The doctor will speak to you or request to see you directly if they need to discuss the results.

Test Information

Blood Tests

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

X-Rays

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 a 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.