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 infections.

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 anaesthetized (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.

Please note that, you can not request to have one of these blood test’s. The doctor must refer you for one, if they believe you require it.

Here are some of the most common tests and what they measure:

Thyroid Function Test – Checks levels of thyroid hormones to assess metabolism and thyroid health. For more information, click here.
HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin) Test – Measures average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months to screen for diabetes. For more information, click here.
Vitamin Test – Assesses levels of essential vitamins like D, B12, and folate for overall health. For more information, click here.
Cholesterol Test (Lipid Panel) – Measures cholesterol and triglycerides to assess heart health. For more information, click here.
Liver Function Test – Checks liver enzymes and proteins to monitor liver health and detect damage. For more information, click here.
Iron Level Test – Measures iron levels to diagnose anemia or iron overload conditions. For more information, click here.

Following your blood test being taken at the practice, the sample(s) is sent by courier to the local hospital laboratory to be processed. 

 Even though you may have had one sample taken, some tests can take longer than others to be processed and reported on. 

Whilst most tests are processed within 2 days, we usually advise that you wait 5-7 days. If your results are abnormal and warrant action, the practice will contact you to either book a routine or urgent appointment. 

The practice may contact you by letter, phone or by sending you a SMS text message.

Please note, that due to the high volume of results that we process, if your results are normal, we will not usually contact you.

If you are concerned about your results, we would advise you register for our online services so that you can view your results, medical records as well as book cancel and change appointments and request repeat prescriptions.

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 specializes 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.