The results of tests, etc, can be obtained by completing our test results request form.

It takes approximately one week for results to get from the hospital to us. Information will only be given to the patients (aged 16 years and over) unless we have written authority to give test results to another person.

Request test results online

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. Generally, please allow a minimum of five working days for results to be returned to us before phoning for the result.

You will not automatically be contacted with the result. Results do not all arrive back at the same time so please ensure that you have been given all your results. If you have not or are not sure please phone again after a few days.

It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if you are advised to do so.

Blood Tests

You can have your blood test at Hertford County Hospital Pathology Unit which is open 08:00-15:45 Monday-Friday or Bowling Road Clinic, Ware which is open Monday 13:30-15:45 and Wednesday and Friday 08:30-11:45. Children under the age of 5 years may need to attend QE2 or Lister hospital for their blood test.

Please take the form that the doctor has given you to the unit, as this will instruct them which tests are required. Certain tests require specific conditions to ensure accurate results.

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.