Your Test Results

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

Please 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. Results are usually available very quickly as we have a direct link to the hospital pathology lab. This often means a result is available after 24 hours. 

Whilst we check all results it is often useful to double check your results as we do not usually notify you of a result within normal or acceptable limits. Please make an appointment to discuss results with the doctor who requested the test if your are advised to do so.

Blood Tests

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.

Blood Test Schedule

The Phlebotomy Clinic is held at the Day Centre, Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital each week day between 7.00 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. No appointment is necessary but please remember that early blood test times are reserved for those patients who have to fast.

X-Ray

Local X-ray facilities are available at The Queen Victoria Hospital in Herne Bay but always require a form from your doctor. This is designed for routine X-rays only and the department is open from 9.30 to 1 and 2 to 4.30 on a Monday to Thursday being closed on a Friday. Emergency X-rays are also available with a form from the doctor. This covers suspected fractures and the unit with orthopaedic cover is based at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Margate.  Their hours are from 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday. There is also a minor injuries unit at Estuary View in Whitstable with X-ray facilities opening 8 am to 8 pm.

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 a 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.