Getting a Blood Test

Blood tests can only be sanctioned by a member of our clinical team (doctor, nurse, midwife or dispenser), or a hospital practitioner.

For blood sampling, please book an appointment with our Phlebotomist. These appointments are all in the morning as our samples are only collected once a day at around 12:30pm, and most blood tests require processing the same day for quality assurrance reasons.

Please bring your blood request form if you have one. Appointments for blood tests may be booked up to 4 weeks ahead.

Getting a urine test

Please bring urine specimens in before 12:30pm on the same day that they are produced. Please make sure specimens are labelled with the date and your name and DOB. You may have been given a form to hand in as well.

If you were told to provide an MSU, then there are several rules to follow:

The sample must be mid-stream. This means that either you start to pee, then stop, start again and collect the second void, or you pass the bottle into the stream of urine when you are about half-way through voiding. In this latter case, please rinse the outside of the bottle afterwards, having secured the top tightly! This will usually be a red-top container, which contains acid to prevent overgrowth of bacteria. Please fill it near to the top, as otherwise the concentartion of the acid preservative will be too strong.

Whenever possible the sample should be passed on the same morning it is brought for testing, and is best passed directly into the bottle rather than decanted from another receptical.

Label it with your name, date of birth and the date.

If you have a form, please enter the date and time the sample was collected in the appropriate place.

Please note that the laboratory does not undertake routine pregnancy testing. Fast reliable tests can be purchased at the chemist.

Getting a Result

Results of urine and blood tests usually take at least 5 working days to come back from the laboratory. X-rays and Ultrasound investigations often take up to 2 weeks after the test was undertaken. If you have had a radiology investigation (CT, MRI, Barium enema/swallow, Ultrasound etc) which was requested by a hospital Dr, we don't usually get sent the result, hence you will need to await your follow up appointment at the hospital, or sometimes they will write to you directly.

We do not routinely contact you with results. The person ordering the test should tell you whether you need a further appointment after or whether you should phone reception.

Please phone in the afternoon or evening for results as the doctor needs to read and interpret each result first. The receptionist will be able to tell you if any further action is required but is not qualified to discuss the result with you. Should this be necessary, please make an appointment to come in and see your doctor.