Test results

Getting your test results

If your test results show that you need more tests or treatment, we will contact you.

Once a doctor has reviewed your test results, you can view them:

All results are checked by the most appropriate clinician.

It is your responsibility to ring us to check the results of your test, as follow up may be needed. You will only be contacted by us if your results require an urgent action.

Please ensure we have correct contact details for you (especially a mobile telephone number) in case we do need to contact you. If you need to change any of your personal details, please use our change of personal details form.

If you want or need to discuss a test result with a GP, the reception can request a call back from the doctor who arranged the tests. This may not be the same working day. If you prefer a face to face appointment that is fine, but please ensure the result is back before booking.

Length of time before test results come back

Some tests take longer to return to the practice than others. Please allow the following time to ensure all of your results are likely to be back:

  • X-rays – 2 weeks
  • Blood tests – 7 days
  • Ultrasound scans – 2 weeks
  • CT or MRI scans – 2 weeks
  • Heart scans – 2 weeks
  • ECGs (heart traces) – 1 week
  • Urine samples for infection – 1 week
  • Swabs for infections – 1 week
  • Nail clippings for fungal infection – 8 weeks
  • Smear results – 2-8 weeks (the cervical smear screening team will write directly to you about these results)

Getting the results of tests organised by the hospital

Sometimes patients have investigations that have been arranged by hospital consultants. The results from these tests do not automatically get forwarded onto GPs.

If you want to know the result of a test you have had under the care of a consultant, you can phone the hospital and ask to speak to your consultant’s secretary. It is not the responsibility of a GP to inform you of results that the hospital has requested.

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.

Questions about your results

If you want to talk to someone about your results, fill out a test results request form and someone will be in touch.