Test results

Please call between 11:00am and 3:30pm 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. We will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission to release 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. It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if you are advised to do so.

Please note, if the test was done by a consultant in hospital, we might not get the result for some weeks as we have to wait until we get a letter from the consultant. Your GP cannot always accurately read the results from secondary care as they do not have specialist training.

Blood tests

A blood test is when a blood sample is taken for laboratory testing. 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. 
• Confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection.

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 be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

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

X-ray

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