Test Results

You are welcome to call the surgery to enquire about your test results and our staff will be happy to advise you or take your contact details and arrange for a call back.  Please avoid peak times by calling late morning or in the afternoon.

You will be told how long you should expect to wait for the results at the time of your test so please bear this in mind before calling. It is then your responsibility to check them and make any necessary follow-up appointment with the doctor. 

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.

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.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

X-Ray

Following a GP referral, open access X-Ray is available at Lorn & Islands Hospital on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays between 9.30am and 4.00pm.

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.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.

Bowel Cancer Screening

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland after lung and breast cancer. Every year, almost 4,000 people are diagnosed with the disease.  9 out of 10 people survive bowel cancer if caught early but the early signs are often hidden so it's important to take the test.  The Scottish Bowel Screening Programme invites all men and women in Scotland between the ages of 50 to 74 for screening every two years. 

When appropriate, you will receive a Faecal Occult Blood test (FOBt) kit by post to your home address.         

Why take the test?

Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage (in people with no symptoms), when treatment is more likely to be effective. 

Bowel cancer screening can also detect polyps.  These are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They can easily be removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing. The Poo Song is a lighted hearted little ditty which explains, in song, the importance of taking up your bowel screening invitation.  Have a listen at:  http://thepoosong.com/

A useful video on how to take the test can be viewed at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4w9QiqQiAI  Once you have decided to start the test, it must be completed with samples from three seperate bowel motions taken a couple of days apart.  You must complete all of the samples within 10 days of taking the first sample and return them to the Bowel Screening Centre Scotland, using the pre-paid envelope supplied in your kit.

The centre tests your sample and will notify you of the results.  If the test is negative, no further action will be required.  If your test is positive your GP will also be notified and you will be referred to your local hospital for further investigation.  In addition, Highland Health Board are notified of positive results requiring further investigations.

Further Information

You can find out more about Bowel Cancer and Bowel Cancer Screening by visiting:  http://www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk/