General Information about Test Results
When you attend a test of any kind, you will be told how long you should expect to wait for the results. This is a guideline, and we ask that you wait this time before checking for your results.
Please note that we have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. We will only give test results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they’re not capable of understanding them.
There are different ways you can access the results of tests that have been done at our GP surgery.
- You can use your Patient Access account (or the NHS app) and access the results from there. Please note that results are only available once the doctor has reviewed them. If you don’t have access to your record online, please request this in your online account or ask our reception team for help, ideally after 2 pm.
- You can contact the practice
Please note that the results of tests carried out during hospital visits are not normally sent to the practice.
Why have I been asked to have a repeat test?
If a doctor asks you to have a repeat test, it is usually because:
- The result was borderline or unclear, and the doctor wants another sample to monitor the situation or to re-check the results.
- The result is abnormal, and the doctor cannot interpret the result without further tests and has asked you to come in for more tests.
Please do not worry if the doctor has asked you for a repeat test. The doctor will speak to you or request to see you directly if they need to discuss the results.
Accessing Test Results Online
Patient Notice
You must first visit the surgery to obtain your login details for online access.
We will require identification (should be valid and in date or less than 3 months old. Two forms of identification should be presented: one photographic (e.g. passport, drivers licence) and one proof of address (e.g. recent utility bill, bank statement etc).
Important information for patients viewing test results online
If you have been given access to view your test results online these will become available after one of the doctors has viewed and commented on them. Some results arrive in the practice with a comment from the lab of “Abnormal” or will show with a little red marker outside the normal range. It is important to look at the comment of the doctor who has viewed the result rather than this lab marker!
The marker which says “normal” may not be appropriate for you
In some situations the lab will view a result as normal when it is not correct for you. One example of this would be a patient on treatment for gout. The normal range for the test goes up to a value of 450, but if you are on treatment we target a value of below 300.
The marker which says “abnormal” may not be appropriate for you
The lab marker is based on a sample, if your result is in the same range as 95% of normal tests it will be marked as normal – so 5% of “normal” tests will be marked as abnormal.