If your doctor has requested that you have some tests they will make a plan with you about what to do next. If you have not been given a plan please ask for one to help you manage your problem effectively.

Our reception team have been trained to give out results but are unable to give you clinical advice, which is why it is important for you to make sure you understand why the doctor has asked for tests and you have been given a plan.

You may be asked by a clinician to telephone for results and we advise that you make contact with the surgery to find out your results to ensure that nothing is missed. The test results option on the surgery switchboard is open 10am - 1pm and 3pm - 5pm

The practice will contact you by phone or letter if any of your results require further action.

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.