Test Results

We offer appointments for blood tests each week day, from 8 am Monday to Thursday and 8.30 am on Fridays.

Your doctor or nurse will advise you how long to wait before asking for your test results, but it is normally 7-10 days for a blood test or urine test, and about three weeks for an X-ray.  Please telephone us on 01993 703641 after 10.30 am when the telephone lines are usually a little less busy.  Your doctor or nurse will receive your results, and when they do, they will add a note so that the receptionist can tell you what is advised.

Please do not assume that if you hear nothing all is well. We deal with thousands of tests each year, and it is very important that you take an active part in your care and find out what your doctor or nurse advises following your test.

Blood Tests

You should normally allow about a week before telephoning the surgery for your blood (and urine) test results, which will go to your doctor.  Your doctor will then make a note on your results so that the receptionist can pass this information on to you.

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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.

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

X-Ray

Please allow three weeks before telephoning reception to find out the results of your X-ray.  It generally takes that long for the report to come through.  When the report arrives, it will go to your doctor, who will make a note for the receptionist, so that when you ring, the receptionist can tell you what your doctor says.

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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.

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