Test results

If you have had any tests, it is important to contact us to find out the result and if you need any more tests or treatment. We will no longer be able to give results out over the phone, therefore your test results can be viewed online via the NHS app and we ask all patients to download this app and request access from the surgery. 

Your GP will advise you of the likely timescales but we will usually have test results back within approximately 2 weeks. 

Please note, results of investigations requested by hospital doctors do not come to us and will go to the requesting hospital consultant.

There are some test results that take longer to come back, so if this applies to the test(s) you are having, your GP will advise the timescale for you to get back in touch with us, this will generally be no longer than 4 weeks.

To discuss your test results with one of our GPs, simply complete and submit an e-consult admin form and a member of our clinical triage assessment team will book the relevant appointment for you.

Alternatively, you can view your test result(s):

• In your NHS account (through the NHS website or your NHS App). Test results can be found by going into your GP health record and you will then see a section for test results.
• In your SystmOnline account

Blood tests are performed at the QEII Hospital

Opening times are:

Monday – Thursday: 08:00 – 17:30

Friday: 08:00 – 17:00

Saturday: 09:00 – 12:00

Sunday: Closed

Blood tests requested by GPs need to be booked online for the following hospitals: QEII, Lister Hospital and Hertford County Hospital. To book your appointment, please click on the following link Book your Blood Test

If you are unable to book online, please call the Phlebotomy team on 01438 284044. Lines are open Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00

There are some rare tests which may mean you will need to go to Lister Hospital or Hertford County Hospital. If this is required, your GP will advise you of which hospital you will need to attend.

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 liver and kidneys are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. The usual place for a sample to be taken from is generally 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.

For more information about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed, please refer to 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.

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 website.

If you want to talk to someone about your results, please submit an e-consult and our clinical triage assessment team will be happy to book an appointment for you.