If the doctor or nurse has told you to telephone for the results of any tests taken, please telephone between 11:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday only.  Please allow, at least, five working days before telephoning for the results of blood tests which have been taken at the surgery.

It is important to note that results can only be given to the patient themselves and this can include patients under the age of 16 years.  Therefore, our reception staff are required to ask you for particular details to ensure results are given to the correct person.  In addition, you may be asked to make an appointment or speak with the doctor regarding the results of tests. 

Results of cervical smears are posted to our patients as soon as they are available.  This can take up to five weeks, so do not worry if you have not received your letter before this time.

If you are looking for the result of any investigation carried out at the hospital including X-ray results, please telephone.  Sometimes, it can take a few weeks before we receive letters from the hospital updating us on patients’ recent visits.

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 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.