Tests and results
Your doctor or nurse may arrange a test to help work out what is going on inside your body. This page explains what the common tests are, how to prepare for them, and how to get your results — including how to see many results yourself, without phoning us.
Three things to remember
Most results — bloods, X-rays and scans — take around 2 weeks to come back. Please wait 2 weeks before ringing, unless a clinician has told you otherwise.
Many results appear in the NHS App or SystmOnline as soon as a doctor has reviewed them. Checking online is quicker than phoning — and keeps our lines free for people who cannot get online.
If the doctor or nurse asked you to book a follow-up appointment to discuss your results, please do that rather than ringing for the results. That appointment is where your results will be properly explained.
How to get your results
Have your test
Your sample or scan is sent to a laboratory or reviewed by a specialist. This careful checking is why results take time — a bit like developing a photograph properly rather than rushing it.
A doctor reviews it
When the result comes back, one of our doctors looks at it and decides whether anything needs to happen next. If a result needs urgent action, we will contact you — please make sure we have your current phone number.
See or hear your result
After about 2 weeks, check the NHS App or SystmOnline, attend your follow-up appointment, or ring us on 01274 612 279 between 11am and 3.30pm (Thursdays 11am to 1pm).
Please don't assume "no news is good news"
We will contact you if a result needs urgent action. But systems and people are not perfect, so please always check your results yourself after 2 weeks. It's your body — and checking takes less than a minute in the app.
See your results without phoning — another great reason to get the NHS App
With the free NHS App (or SystmOnline), you can see many of your test results on your phone as soon as a doctor has checked them — day or night, no waiting on hold. You can also order repeat prescriptions and view your health record.
Get started with the NHS App (opens the NHS website)
Not sure how to sign up? Our team will happily point you in the right direction — see our text and online services page.
Tests arranged by the hospital
If a hospital specialist arranged your test, the hospital team is responsible for the result. They will usually tell you at your next clinic appointment or by letter. If you have heard nothing after a few weeks, contact the specialist's secretary — the number is usually on your clinic letter.
Your results are private
We can only give results to the person they belong to. For a child aged 15 or under, we can speak to a parent or guardian. For anyone else — including husbands, wives and adult children — we need the patient's clear permission first. This isn't us being awkward; it's us protecting your confidentiality, just as we protect theirs.
What does "abnormal" mean?
Try not to panic if a result is marked "abnormal". Many abnormal results are only slightly outside the normal range and need no action at all — like a car dashboard light that just means "worth a look", not "stop the car". A doctor will always decide what, if anything, needs to happen. Our reception team can pass on the doctor's comment, but they are not clinically trained to interpret results.
Feeling very unwell? Don't wait for a test result
A test result never comes before your safety. If you feel much worse while waiting for a result, contact us, or call NHS 111 when we are closed.
Call 999 now for signs of a heart attack or stroke, severe breathing problems, heavy bleeding, a severe allergic reaction, or if someone is unconscious.
Your guide to common tests
Different tests do different jobs, and only some are done here at the surgery — many happen at the hospital. Your doctor or nurse will choose the test that best answers the question about your health. Open any section below to learn what a test involves and how to prepare. Each links to the NHS website for fuller information.
- Blood tests & samples
- Heart tests
- X-rays & scans
- Camera tests
- Tests in pregnancy
- Simple examinations
- NHS screening
Blood tests and other samples
Small samples that tell a big story about how your body is working.
Blood tests
A blood test takes a small sample of blood, usually from a vein in your arm, using a fine needle. It's quick — normally over in a minute or two — and feels like a small scratch. Think of it like checking the oil and water in a car: one small sample can tell the doctor a lot about how the engine is running, from your blood count and kidneys to your liver, cholesterol and blood sugar.
Biopsy (a tiny tissue sample)
A biopsy is when a doctor takes a very small sample of tissue — for example from the skin, or during a camera test — so it can be examined closely under a microscope. It's like taking one brick from a wall to check exactly what the wall is made of. Having a biopsy does not mean you have cancer; it is often done to rule things out.
Liver tests (including alcohol-related liver checks)
Your liver is your body's chemical factory. Blood tests can check how well it's working, and an ultrasound scan can look at the liver itself. If alcohol may be affecting your liver, your doctor may suggest these tests — kindly and without judgement. Liver damage often causes no symptoms until late, so checking early really matters, and the liver has a remarkable ability to recover if problems are caught in time.
Read how alcohol-related liver disease is diagnosed on the NHS website
Tests for rheumatoid arthritis
If your joints are painful, stiff and swollen — especially in the mornings — your doctor may arrange blood tests that look for inflammation and particular antibodies, along with X-rays or scans of your joints. No single test gives the whole answer; the doctor puts the results together like pieces of a jigsaw.
Read how rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed on the NHS website
Genetic tests for cancer risk
If several close relatives have had certain cancers, a genetic test (usually a blood or saliva sample) can check whether you carry a gene change that raises your risk — such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. Knowing gives you options: extra screening, earlier checks, or preventive treatment. These tests are arranged through a specialist genetics service, with counselling to help you decide what's right for you. Talk to your GP if you're worried about cancer in your family.
Heart tests
Simple, painless checks on your heart's rhythm and pumping.
ECG (electrocardiogram)
An ECG records the electrical activity of your heart — a bit like listening in on the heart's own wiring and printing out its rhythm as a wiggly line. Small sticky pads are placed on your chest, arms and legs, and the recording takes just a few minutes. Nothing goes into your body and no electricity is put in — the machine only listens.
Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
An echocardiogram — often called an "echo" — is an ultrasound scan of the heart. While an ECG listens to the heart's wiring, an echo watches the pump itself: moving pictures show the heart's chambers and valves working in real time. A probe with a little jelly is moved gently over your chest. It's painless and usually takes 15 to 60 minutes.
X-rays and scans
Different ways of looking inside the body — each with its own strengths.
X-ray
An X-ray is like a camera that can see through your skin to photograph your bones. It's brilliant for bones, joints and the chest, but not so good at looking at soft things like skin lumps or the inside of your tummy or brain — that's where scans come in. An X-ray takes seconds and you won't feel anything. It uses a very small amount of radiation, which is why we only do X-rays when they're genuinely needed.
CT scan
A CT scanner takes lots of X-ray pictures from different angles and a computer stacks them into detailed cross-sections — like looking at the slices of a loaf of bread rather than just the outside. It's a doughnut-shaped machine (not a tunnel) and each scan usually takes 10 to 20 minutes. Sometimes a special dye is given first to make certain areas show up more clearly.
MRI scan
An MRI uses strong magnets and radio waves — no radiation at all — to build very detailed pictures of soft parts of the body, like the brain, spine, joints and organs. You lie inside a tunnel-shaped scanner for 15 to 90 minutes. It's noisy (some people say it's like being near a road drill), so you'll be given headphones or earplugs, and you can talk to the team through an intercom at any time.
Ultrasound scan
An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves — the same idea as a ship's sonar or a bat finding its way — to build a moving picture of the inside of your body. A little cool jelly goes on your skin and a smooth probe is moved over the area. It's completely painless, uses no radiation, and is the same safe scan used to look at babies in pregnancy.
Bone density (DEXA) scan
A DEXA scan uses a very low dose of X-rays to measure how strong your bones are — a bit like checking how sturdy the framework of a house is. It helps diagnose osteoporosis (bones becoming thin and fragile) and helps predict the risk of a broken bone, so treatment can start before a fracture happens. You lie on your back, fully clothed, for about 10 to 20 minutes.
Read about DEXA scans on the NHS website · Why a DEXA scan is done
Camera (endoscopy) tests
A thin, bendy tube with a tiny camera and light lets doctors look directly inside the body.
Gastroscopy (camera into the stomach)
A gastroscopy looks at your food pipe, stomach and the first part of your bowel using a thin, flexible camera passed through your mouth. It usually takes less than 15 minutes. Your throat is numbed with a spray, and you can usually choose to have a sedative to help you relax. It's not painful, though it can feel briefly uncomfortable.
Colonoscopy (camera into the bowel)
A colonoscopy looks inside your large bowel using a thin, flexible camera passed gently through your bottom. It's one of the best ways to find and even remove small growths (polyps) before they can cause harm. The test usually takes 30 to 45 minutes and you can have a sedative or gas and air to keep you comfortable. Millions of people have this test — the team do it every day and will protect your dignity throughout.
Colposcopy (a closer look at the cervix)
A colposcopy is a closer look at the cervix (the neck of the womb), usually after a cervical screening result needs checking. It's similar to having a smear test, but the doctor or nurse uses a special magnifying lens — like a doctor's magnifying glass — to examine the cervix in detail. The lens stays outside your body. Being invited for colposcopy does not mean you have cancer; most people checked do not.
Cystoscopy (camera into the bladder)
A cystoscopy looks inside the bladder using a thin camera passed along the tube you pass urine through. It helps investigate problems like blood in your urine or repeated infections. Local anaesthetic gel numbs the area, and a flexible cystoscopy usually takes only a few minutes.
Tests and scans in pregnancy
Checks offered during pregnancy to look after you and your baby. All are your choice.
The 12-week (dating) scan
Your first routine ultrasound scan happens between about 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. It checks how many weeks pregnant you are, works out your due date, and checks how your baby is developing. For many parents it's also the first exciting glimpse of their baby. You can usually ask for a photo (there may be a small charge).
Ultrasound scans in pregnancy
Pregnancy scans use safe, painless sound waves to watch your baby grow. As well as the 12-week scan, you'll be offered a detailed 20-week scan that checks how your baby is developing. Some people need extra scans — this is usually just for a closer look, so try not to worry if you're offered one.
Screening tests in pregnancy
During pregnancy you'll be offered a series of checks — blood tests, blood pressure checks, urine tests and scans — to pick up anything that could affect your health or your baby's. Screening is always your choice: your midwife will explain each test so you can decide what's right for you, and you can say yes to some and no to others.
If a screening test finds something
Most screening results are reassuring. If a test suggests a higher chance of a problem, it does not mean something is definitely wrong — it means you'll be offered further checks and a conversation with a specialist. You'll be supported at every step, given time and clear information, and every decision about further testing remains yours.
Read what happens if antenatal screening finds something on the NHS website
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is a test sometimes offered when screening suggests a higher chance of a genetic condition. A very fine needle takes a small sample of the fluid surrounding your baby, which contains some of the baby's cells — allowing an accurate check for conditions such as Down's syndrome. It's only offered when there's a specific reason, and the specialist will talk through the benefits and the small risks with you so you can decide.
Simple examinations
Quick checks done by a clinician — or ones you can do yourself.
Rectal (back passage) examination
Sometimes a doctor or nurse needs to gently examine your bottom (rectum) with a gloved, lubricated finger — for example to check the prostate, or to investigate bleeding or bowel changes. It takes less than a minute. We understand it can feel embarrassing, but for clinicians it's a routine, everyday check — and it can pick up problems that no scan would find. You can ask for a chaperone to be present, and we'd encourage it.
Checking your testicles (young men — please take note)
Testicular cancer is one of the few cancers that mainly affects younger men, most often between 15 and 49 — and it's very treatable when found early. Get to know what's normal for you, and check about once a month after a warm bath or shower: gently roll each testicle between your fingers and thumb. If you find a lump, swelling, a change in size or firmness, or an ache that doesn't settle, see a GP. It's usually not cancer — but checking takes two minutes and could save your life.
Read about testicular lumps and testicular cancer on the NHS website
Eye tests at the opticians
Eye tests aren't just about glasses. An optician can spot early signs of conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and high blood pressure — sometimes before you notice anything wrong. Most adults should have an eye test every 2 years, and many people qualify for a free NHS test, including children, over-60s and people with diabetes or glaucoma. For most sudden eye problems, an optician is actually the best first stop — quicker than waiting to see a GP.
NHS screening — free health checks by invitation
Tests offered to healthy people to catch problems early, when they're easiest to treat.
What is NHS screening?
Screening means checking people who feel perfectly well, to find the early signs of a condition before symptoms appear — like a smoke alarm that goes off before you can see the fire. The NHS runs national screening programmes including cervical screening (ages 25 to 64), breast screening (from age 50), bowel cancer screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening for men at 65, and diabetic eye screening. Invitations come to you automatically — one more reason to keep your address and phone number up to date with us. Screening is always your choice.
Bowel cancer screening — the home test kit
If you're aged 50 to 74, the NHS posts you a free home test kit (called a FIT kit) every 2 years. You collect a tiny poo sample at home with the little stick provided and post it back in the prepaid envelope. The lab checks it for hidden traces of blood — an early warning sign you could never spot yourself. It takes a couple of minutes, it's hygienic, and nobody else is involved. Bowel cancer caught early is very treatable, so when the kit lands on your doormat, please don't put it on a shelf — do it and post it. If you're 75 or over, you can still request a kit by calling 0800 707 6060.
Not sure which test you need? That's our job, not yours
Please don't worry about choosing a test. Your doctor or nurse will always pick the right test for your situation — and sometimes the right answer is no test at all. If you'd like to understand why a particular test was (or wasn't) chosen for you, just ask us. We're always happy to explain.
Questions patients often ask
Why do results take 2 weeks?
Your sample or scan is checked carefully by laboratory scientists or specialist doctors, sometimes with several stages of testing. The result then comes back to us, and one of our GPs reviews it alongside your medical record before it's released. All of that careful checking takes time — and it's what makes your result reliable.
Why can't reception explain my result to me?
Our reception team can tell you the comment a doctor has attached to your result — such as "normal" or "make a routine appointment". But interpreting results needs medical training and knowledge of your full history, so only a clinician can explain what a result actually means for you. This protects you from being given wrong or incomplete information.
Can I ring for my husband's, wife's or parent's results?
Only if they have given us clear permission first, or if you are the parent or guardian of a child aged 15 or under, or an agreed carer. We know this can feel frustrating when you're only trying to help a loved one — but we protect their privacy exactly as carefully as we protect yours.
What if my result is abnormal?
Try not to jump to the worst conclusion. "Abnormal" often just means slightly outside the average range, and many abnormal results need no action at all. Equally, a "normal" result doesn't always mean the end of the road — if your symptoms continue, come back and see us. A doctor always reviews every result and will tell you if anything needs to happen.
I had a test at the hospital and haven't heard anything. What should I do?
Results from hospital-arranged tests go back to the hospital team who requested them. If a few weeks have passed and you've heard nothing and have no follow-up appointment, ring the specialist's secretary — the number is usually on your clinic letter. If you're stuck, we can help point you in the right direction.
Where are blood tests done?
Many blood tests can be taken here at Ashcroft Surgery by our nursing team or health care assistants — we'll tell you when we arrange the test. Some tests are done at hospital clinics instead. Either way, your results come back to whoever requested the test.
Last reviewed: July 2026
Next review due: July 2027
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