Blood Tests / Urine / Stool Sample Test results will normally be available 7 days after the sample has been handed in/taken.

Please note that we can only access test results after 2.15pm

Results from investigations undertaken at the DGH (e.g. X rays / scans) will not normally be available for 3-4 weeks after the investigation. Again, we can only give these out after 14:00.

If the Clinicians are in any way concerned about test results, they will contact you as soon as they view the result.

If any tests (x-rays, scans or blood tests etc.) have been requested by hospital personnel (even if the test was completed at the surgery) the result will go back to the requesting clinician.

Our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results but will be able to tell you if the doctor has seen them and and whether or not they would like to discuss the result. It is, however, your responsibility to check this and make any necessary follow-up appointments.

Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.

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.