Did you know that you can view test results (e.g. blood tests) though the NHS App?
In order to view results, you simply need to contact the surgery and request full access to your record. This will take a week or so as your GP will need to authorise this for you.
You will then be able to see results from any tests carried out from that point.
The results will become available once they are checked and filed to your record by a GP. We normally recommend to leave a week after the sample was taken to allow for this.
It’s never been easier to keep track of your health!
Test Result
Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.
When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice. Generally, please allow ten days for results to be returned to us before phoning for the result.
You will not automatically be contacted with the result. Results do not all arrive back at the same time so please ensure that you have been given all your results. If you have not or are not sure please phone again after a few days.
It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if your are advised to do so.
Blood Tests
You can have your blood test at Hertford County Hospital Pathology Unit which is open 08:00 – 15:45 Monday – Friday or Bowling Road Clinic, Ware which is open Monday 13:30 – 15:45 and Wednesday and Friday 08:30 – 11:45. Children under the age of 5 years may need to attend QE2 or Lister hospital for their blood test.
Please take the form that the doctor has given you to the unit, as this will instruct them which tests are required. Certain tests require specific conditions to ensure accurate results.
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 Choices website.
Non-urgent advice: For those patients unable to use internet
Here are the following numbers
Hertford County Hospital, Lister and QEII Hospital: 01438 284044
Bowling Road: 0300 123 7571
X-Ray
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 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 Choices website.