Whenever you have a test done at the surgery, please ask the person seeing you how you will get the results.

As a rule, we do not contact patients about results.  We ask them to check their results themselves via the online portal.  You will need to have registered to use this service.  The NHS is getting busier and busier, and we ask YOU to be responsible for the results as YOU are the best way to avoid mistakes and omissions. 

Blood results take 1-7days to come back, so we usually advise you to check results 7 days after the test is taken.  If you check too soon you might miss a result that comes back later.  Once the result is back and reviewed by the doctor, the result and the doctor's comment on it will be visible in your online patient notes.  If there is any action necessary, it will be written in your notes.  If your result is not visible in 10 days, contact us.

Patients who do not have access to the internet, or who prefer to call, can contact 01223 364127 for results from our receptionists.  Lines are always very busy in the mornings, so we only give results after 2pm.  We are trying to leave lines free for patients who need to contact us, so please check your results on line if you can.  Please note that for confidentiality reasons we can only discuss results with the patient, unless the patient has specifically requested otherwise.

Of course, if we get an urgent result we will try to contact you.  However we do often have difficulty contacting patients (particularly if they have not told us about a change in contact details), so please do not rely on us to contact you. 

In fact we do usually try to let you know the results of your tests, usually by text.  But again, for safety reasons, please do not rely on this.

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.

We usually use anaesthetic (numbing) cream before taking samples from children.  If you feel this is needed, please speak to reception when you book the appointment.

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.

We do not carry out these tests at the surgery.  If one is recommended we will refer you to the hospital, or to another NHS centre.

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

Remember that any test result will be sent to the medical team who requested the result.

GPs will sometimes refer you to the hospital (e.g. for a blood test, an x-ray or ultrasound).  

• Results will come back to the GP and will be visible in your patient record as soon as the GP has had chance to review them.  
• We ask patients to check on the results via the online portal.
• If the result is not visible in the portal it means we do not have the test result yet.  If you are concerned that it is taking too long, please contact the hospital department who did your test.  The contact details will be on your hospital appointment card or outpatient letter.

Tests arranged by the hospital team (e.g. blood test at the hospital, CT, MRI, angiogram)

• Results will go to the requesting hospital team.  Generally the team will review them and write to the GP AND the patient. You will get the result at the same time as us.
• If you are concerned that it is taking too long, we suggest that you
  • Check your GP notes on line (in case the hospital have written to us but not you - but this is rare).  If the result is not in your GP notes, we do not have them.
  • If you are registered for it, check your hospital online portal (at Addenbrooke's this is called "MyChart").
  • Contact your hospital team.

We are not responsible for chasing the results of tests arranged by the hospital. 

Nor are we responsible for interpreting them and advising you on what to do next. 

If you are having trouble contacting the hospital team about it we suggest you contact the hospital patient and advice liaison service (PALS), which can be found on the hospital website.