You may ring the surgery for the results of tests but please remember the following points:
- The surgery tends to be at its quietest after 14:00 and the reception staff will have more time to deal with your enquiry. Checking results is time consuming and requests at other times may result in you being asked to call back after 14:00.
- Results may only be given to the specific patient to whom they apply. In the interest of confidentiality please be prepared to identify yourself. Please do not phone for results for friends/relatives without prior arrangement.
- You will need to know the test results you require. Some tests take longer to process. If you have had several tests then the reception staff will not necessarily know whether all the results are back unless you can identify them.
- Please do not expect the reception staff to have any medical knowledge. They are instructed only to tell you if your test is normal. If any test is abnormal or you require further discussion or interpretation then please refer to your doctor.
- It is not our policy to ring patients with their results if they are normal as we have hundreds of test results coming in every month (this clarification was added on 08/07/13 and following an enquiry from a patient). Doctors may choose to send you an SMS text message to convey your results.
- If you register for Coded Access to your Medical Records you will be able to view your own results. Go to ‘Register for Online Services’ from the front page of our Website.
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.
You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS 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 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 website.
