Samples (blood, urine, etc) are collected by the hospital courier daily. In order for tests to be successfully processed and avoid unnecessary delays at the hospital laboratories, please bring your sample to the surgery in the morning, preferably before 12.30pm.

Please ensure all labels are completed correctly ensuring your name and date of birth are on the form and sample container.

Most results take a few days to arrive at the surgery, although X-Rays will take longer (up to two weeks). Please phone the receptionist to see if your result has been received. In some cases, the receptionist may be authorised to give you the results, if not, you may be asked to make an appointment to see the doctor again.

Please telephone 01822 852202 between 2pm and 6pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, we are unable to give results over the telephone at any other times.

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 childs 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.

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.

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