Garden Lane Medical Centre - About medical tests and how to get your results

Your Test Results

blood_tests Please call after 2pm to enquire about your test results as our reception staff will have more time to deal with your request after this time.

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.

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

test tubes containing blood 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 .

X-Ray

doctor examining an 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 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 .

Noticeboard

Appointments

Making an Appointment

From April 2012 we are introducing clinician call back to deal with new problems on the day. We are making this change to give more capacity.

When you book an appointment the receptionist will ask you if it is a new problem or a follow-up.
If it is a new problem the receptionist will aslo ask for a brief description of the problem. This allows the clinicians to prioritise calls and ensures that patients are seen by the right person.
New problems will be booked a telephone appointment with a doctor or our nurse clinician.
The clinician will phone you back at the approximate time given by the receptionist.
Your problem will either be dealt with on the telephone or you will be given an appointment to come to the surgery.

If you have been advised that your appointment is with the Duty Doctor, you may have to wait if the Doctor is called out on an emergency.

Follow-Up Appointments

Where a more in-depth consultation is required, a follow-up appointment will be recommended.

Follow-up appointments can be booked up to 4 weeks in advance. Please telephone after 10.30am and tell the receptionist you wish to book a follow-up appointment. Please state this when you phone to book.

Home Visits
If you are too ill to get to the surgery, please telephone before 10.00 am to request a visit at home. The receptionist may ask for details of your illness to help the doctors to plan their visits

Further Information

Patient Participation Group

Survey Report