These may be obtained via SystmOnline or the NHS App or by telephoning the Practice after 11:00, avoiding our busiest time.

The Receptionist may inform you of the result, or they may ask you to arrange an appointment with your doctor to discuss your result; it is practice policy only to give results of medical tests to patients over 16 and to the parents or guardians of those below this age.

Unless consent has been given and documented on the patient record, results and other medical information cannot be given to a third party.

The time it takes for a result to come back varies depending on the type of test, the person arranging the test will give you an indication of the length of time for the result to come back.

Do not be alarmed if you are asked to speak to/see a doctor or repeat the test.

Our administrators are not trained to interpret results and often tests have to be repeated for technical reasons.

To view your results online:

• in your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
• in your SystmOnline account

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.

Laboratory Specimens:

Specimens are sent to the hospital on a daily basis. If you are asked to bring a specimen please ensure that we receive it before 11.45am.

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 a Health Care Assistant 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 childs 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.

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