Test Results
When you attend for a test of any kind you will be told how long you should expect to wait for the results. Please bear this in mind and call the surgery after 2pm once sufficient time has elapsed.
We always ask patients to take responsibility to contact the practice for their results. Please do not assume that ‘no news is good news’.
Please remember that our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results and are only able to pass on information from the GPs.
Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.
Blood Tests
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 taken at the Practice is sent off to Wolverhampton Hospital for testing in their Laboratory. We are therefore governed by their courier collections as to the times we can take samples. Our last collection of the day is 4pm. We are therefore unable to book patients for Blood Tests after this time of day. We are also unable to accept other types of samples from patients for testing after this time.
We prefer to refer young children requiring blood tests to the paediatric phlebotomy team at Wolverhampton Hospital. This specialist team are well practiced in taking samples from children. We can provide a prescription for some numbing cream for use at the appointment.
You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.
X-Ray
If you are asked to have an X-Ray you will be given a form to attend the X-Ray department at Cannock Chase Hospital. The hospital offer a walk in service Monday to Friday.
The result of your X-Ray will be returned to the practice via the courier postal service usually within ten to fourteen days.
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.
ECG
If you are asked to have an ECG you will be given a request form to attend the Cardiology Department at Cannock Chase Hospital.
The hospital offer a walk in service Monday to Friday. The times the department is open will be on the request form.
Once your ECG has been completed you will be handed the result to return to the practice. We would ask that you bring this result straight back to the Practice. If the referring Doctor is still on the premises we may ask that you take a seat whilst we show them the result. Alternatively we will make sure we have an up to date contact number for you and the Doctor or receptionist will contact you once the result has been seen.