Test results (including blood and urine) generally take between 3 to 7 working days to come back from the laboratory.  The clinician taking the sample will advise you when to ring for your result.

If a result is abnormal you may get a phone call from the out of hours service should the surgery be shut when the result becomes available.  Please make sure your contact details are correct and inform us asap if any details change.

X-ray results take 2 to 3 weeks to be processed.

To obtain test results, please telephone 01386 552424 between 11:00 - 18:00 Monday to Friday.

All results are reviewed by your GP who will advise reception on any action that may need to be taken, (e.g. make an appointment to see the GP, telephone the GP or have test retaken, etc).  Reception will only give you a result that the GP has commented on.  If the GP has not seen the result you will be advised to ring back.

IMPORTANT: For reasons of confidentiality, results can only be given to the patient themselves or their legal carer.

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.