Tests and Results

It is the patient’s responsibility to obtain the specific test results by telephoning the Surgery. You can contact our Reception Staff between 2:00pm and 3:00pm to obtain your results.

Test Results

The doctors review test results on a daily basis and note what action, if any, needs to be taken.  Our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results therefore it is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if you are advised to do so. 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.

Urine Test

Please note when you bring a sample of urine to the surgery during treatment room hours, you may wait for the nurse to carry out preliminary tests or alternatively, the sample can be placed in the ‘sample box’ outside the treatment room door. Please ensure that name, address and date of birth are clearly written on the specimen bottle along with our symptoms sheet. You will find these next to our sample box. Please note that samples will be discarded if this information is not provided.

Blood Tests

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 child’s hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

X-Ray

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 a 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.

Any scan results (X-ray/Ultrasound etc) that has been referred by the GP, needs to be obtained by telephoning the Surgery

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment for SSP (statutory sick pay). It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’ from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work – Fit Note

The ‘fit note’ was introduced on 6th April 2010. With your employer’s support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website

NHS Fact Sheets for Non-English Speaking

What to Expect at Your Appointment

If it’s your first visit, or it’s simply been a while, here’s a quick guide to how things work on the day.

Before You Arrive

Please arrive a few minutes early, particularly if it’s your first appointment, as you may need to confirm or update your details at reception. Bring a list of any current medication if you’re discussing a new or ongoing health issue.

During Your Appointment

Appointments are typically ten minutes long. If you have more than one problem to discuss, it helps to mention this when you book, so we can allow enough time or arrange a longer appointment where needed.

Telephone and Video Consultations

Not every appointment needs to be face to face. Where appropriate, our clinicians can offer a telephone or video consultation, which can be a convenient option for follow-ups, results, or straightforward queries.

How to Register with Us

New Patient Registration

New patients living within an 8 mile radius of the surgery are welcome at the practice. You will be registering with the practice and not an individual doctor.

Patients are asked to attend the surgery and complete our ‘Request to Register Form’. When the patient request has been accepted you will be asked to make a registration appointment and bring your medical card with you to the consultation (if you are unable to locate your medical card we will supply you with a registration form). All new registrations are handled by our senior admin staff (Laura and Eimear)

Change of Personal Details

If you change your name, address or telephone number please let us know at reception as soon as possible. Will will require proof of these changes.

Guide to GP Services

The Royal College of General Practitioners has produced a useful guide for patients about the services on offer at GP Surgeries and how to access them. You can download the guide below.

A Patient Guide to GP Services

Temporary Registration

If you are ill while away from home or if you are not registered with a doctor but need to see one you can receive emergency treatment from the local GP practice for 14 days. After 14 days you will need to register as a temporary or permanent patient.

You can be registered as a temporary patient for up to three months. This will allow you to be on the local practice list and still remain a patient of your permanent GP. After three months you will have to re-register as a temporary patient or permanently register with that practice.

To register as a temporary patient simply contact the local practice you wish to use. Practices do not have to accept you as a temporary patient although they do have an obligation to offer emergency treatment. You cannot register as a temporary patient at a practice in the town or area where you are already registered.

All registrations are handled by our senior admin staff (Laura and Eimear)