Your doctor may ask you to have blood tests, other investigations at the surgery or hospital, x-rays or tests after a consultation or as part of a regular review of your medical condition. 

Blood tests

If you require blood tests, the doctor will give you a blood request form for you to take with you to St Albans City Hospital. For the elderly or infirm we can arrange for the healthcare assistant to take the blood sample at the surgery.

You have to pay for parking at St. Albans City Hospital. Please ask the receptionist for directions.

At other times, the doctor may ask you to have tests at the surgery such as urine and stool tests or swabs taken for infection, an ECG or heart tracing, or other special blood pressure, circulation, breathing or hearing tests.

Samples of urine or stool

These must be placed in sterile containers provided by the doctor or nurse with the patient's name clearly written on the outside label.  These should be brought to the surgery and immediately placed in a special container provided for transport that is available at the reception desk. 

ECGs and special tests performed by the practice nurse or healthcare assistant should be booked through the receptionist after seeing the doctor. The doctor will indicate how urgently and which tests need to be performed.

X-rays and other hospital investigations

These are normally arranged by your doctor who will request these as a hospital out-patient appointment at St. Albans City Hospital as an NHS patient.

You should normally receive an appointment through the post to your address within two weeks.  You should let the surgery know if you do not receive an expected appointment after three weeks of seeing your doctor.

The hospital will inform you of any special diet or preparation needed for your x-ray or ultrasound examination including any medicine necessary to prepare you for this.

Some patients may prefer to use their private medical insurance to have x-rays or other tests at the local private BUPA Hospital.

Your doctor will normally give you a request form and telephone number to make this appointment. The use of personal or company insurance policies for private investigations are the responsibility of the patient and the practice cannot send patients for private care as an NHS patient.

Results

Test results may be requested by telephoning 01727 832125 preferably between 12.00 pm and 3.00 pm.

Blood test results and microbiological tests for infection are sent back to the practice electronically from Hemel Hempstead Hospital. After seeing and interpreting the results, your doctor will add a comment and will indicate an appropriate action if necessary. This may need the test repeating or a prescription collecting without seeing the doctor again.

Most tests will be normal and will be indicated as such by your doctor though you should still see the doctor as planned if you had arranged to do so beforehand.

Abnormal tests that require you to see the doctor again or an earlier appointment than planned will result in a telephone call or letter sent to you.  Patients should telephone the receptionist in the afternoon approximately five days after having the tests to see that all tests have returned before making another doctor's appointment.

The results of tests will not be given to anyone other than the person concerned unless a written consent has been given beforehand.

Normally results of ECGs and other special tests performed by the practice nurse will require you to see your doctor afterwards.

The results of tissue specimens taken from minor surgery will either require you to see your doctor two weeks afterwards or they will send you a letter to reassure you or indicate further action such as a further appointment.