Test Results

Getting your test results

We will contact you by telephone, or by letter, only if a result is abnormal and you require treatment or further investigations. We will also send you a SMS if your results are normal to save you calling into the practice. If you want to enquire about the results of your tests please call between 2pm and 4pm.

The administrative staff will give results to you or you may be asked to speak to the nurse or doctor. Adults’ results will not be given to anyone other than the patient, except in exceptional circumstances.

Smear test results can take up to 16 weeks and you will receive your result by letter from the health board.

Your doctor will review your results and leave a brief note, which our reception team can share with you. Please note that our receptionists are not medically trained to interpret results or provide medical advice. If you would like to discuss your results further, please book a follow-up appointment with your doctor.

To keep your medical information safe, our team will ask a few questions to confirm your identity before sharing any test results. These details are essential for us to ensure we are speaking with the right person and to provide the doctor’s comments accurately. We appreciate your help in keeping your health records secure.

How long do results take?

For most routine blood tests in NHS Lanarkshire, you can generally expect the results to be back at your GP practice within 2 to 5 working days.

The exact timeline depends on the complexity of the test and how the sample was collected. Here is a general breakdown of what to expect:

Typical Timelines by Test Type

Test Type	Expected Waiting Time	Examples
Routine Bloods	2 to 3 working days	Full Blood Count (FBC), Kidney function (U&Es), Liver function (LFTs), and Cholesterol.
Common Specialised Bloods	5 to 7 working days	Thyroid function, Diabetes monitoring (HbA1c), and Iron levels.
Advanced or Rare Tests	1 to 3 weeks	Vitamin D, specialised hormone panels, or genetic tests (as these often have to be sent to a specific reference lab outside Lanarkshire).
* X-Rays	5 to 10 working days

* Hospital Consultants vs. GPs: If your X-ray was ordered by a hospital consultant (for example, during an A&E visit or an outpatient clinic) rather than your GP, the results go straight back to that consultant. Your GP practice usually won’t have them, so you would need to contact the hospital consultant’s secretary for those results.

Non-urgent advice: Questions about your results

If you want to talk to someone about your results, contact our team to discuss.
You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Inform website.

Non-urgent advice: Confidentiality

The NHS has strict policies relating to confidentiality and data protection and we can only release test results to the adult to whom they relate unless that person had given prior permission for the release of their data and information or are not capable of understanding the results.

Non-urgent advice: If the test was arranged by your hospital consultant

If your test has been carried out at a Clinic or Hospital please call the Clinic or Hospital for the result, as we cannot action tests which have been requested by other Clinicians outwith the practice.

Non-urgent advice: Laboratory tests

For information on what your laboratory test results mean please visit Lab Tests Online.
Please note, this website does not give you access to your actual results, but will provide an explanation of what the varying tests are and what the results mean.

Specimens

All specimens must be provided in a suitable container and marked clearly with name, date of birth, date provided and reason for the specimen. Failure to do so may mean that the test will need to be repeated.
Please note that when bringing in a sample to the surgery only samples in the correct container can be accepted. These are available from reception.

Tests Performed Outside of the NHS Including Abroad

These results will not appear on any NHS systems, therefore are not accessible to NHS clinicians (unless the referral was made by your NHS care provider). If you have had tests outside of the NHS it is your responsibility to provide us with copies or originals of all the test results in order that we do not duplicate tests. If you are unable to do so you may be referred to an appropriate UK setting for the same test. This is to ensure we comply with best practice care standards. If you do not wish to have a repeat test you will be asked to give informed dissent.