Test results

Getting your test results

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)
• in your Patient Access Account

Please call after 10:30 or after 15:30 on the main surgery number to enquire about your test results as our staff will have more time to deal with your request between these times.

We will endeavour to answer your questions with your first call, but you may need to call back if a doctor wishes to discuss your results.

Emergency results are looked at on the day by the duty doctor, however routine results take 5 working days.

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.