What happens after I have a test?

If you have a test or examination requested by the practice (blood test, ECG, X-Ray, etc.) the results will take on average 7 working days to come back to the practice. Results may take more or less time depending on the test. Once your results are back they are then reviewed by the one of our clinical team. Unless you have otherwise been advised by a clinician, we advise that test results will take around 2 weeks from being received to be reviewed. If the result that comes back is urgent we will be in contact with you to organise follow up promptly. Unfortunately, sometimes, we cannot always give you full results over the phone. If the clinician wants to have an appointment to discuss your results, has a message regarding your results or would like to organise follow up - we will be in contact to organise this. 

 

'No news is good news'

As a general rule for the practice, if your test results have come back as normal or no further action is required and the clinician has reviewed them and has no concerns, we may not be in contact to inform you of your results. 

You are welcome to use Accurx on the homepage or call 01522 543943 after 10:00 to enquire about your test results as our staff will have more time to help you at this time. Unless your test was urgent, please do not enquire before the 2 week timeframe. 

Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection.  In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.

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.

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.   An x-ray can often take longer to come back; sometimes up to 21 days.

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.