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GP Record Access - how to understand test results
Viewing your results in the NHS App, Patient Online and other Apps
Every GP Surgery is different, if your GP has turned on GP Record Access, and, within that, turned on results viewing, then you will be able to view the results of your blood tests
in the following Apps:
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Patient Access
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MyGP
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TPP S1 AirMid
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NHS App
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Patients Know Best
Each App shows the results slightly differently.
For example, Patient Access can show some results over time with a graph,
whereas the NHS App currently doesn't.
You need to consider what if you see some worrying results before
your GP can speak to you
If you tend to worry about what your results might mean, too much, you can:
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Ask for this feature to be turned off, or
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Learn what's 'normal for you', this is particularly important if you have a long-term illness, as your results may be different to other peoples, or,
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Use the reliable, high-quality websites we highlight below to check and understand your results.
Learn what's 'Normal for You', in other words #KnowYourNumbers
Significant things to consider about your results
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A test result outside the reference range may not indicate a problem. Equally, if all results are within the reference range, this does not completely guarantee there isn’t a concern.
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Not all abnormal results will be flagged as abnormal on the report. This is because there are some results that laboratories cannot report an abnormal flag for. This is particularly true for text results.
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Always look out for comments attached to results. Often these have critical information about the test and how to interpret the result.
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Comments may have been added automatically by a laboratory computer or by a laboratory scientist or doctor. Generally, comments are written for the doctor requesting the test rather than the patient, and so they may not be particularly meaningful to you.
Always talk to the requesting doctor if you have concerns about a report.
Pages on GP Record Access
Recommended websites to help understand your results
Lab Tests Online- UK is written by practising laboratory doctors and scientists to help you understand the many clinical laboratory tests that are used in diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease. It is produced by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine in collaboration with the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science.
My Pathology Report - MyPathologyReport.ca is a freely accessible medical education tool created by pathologists to help you read and understand your pathology report. They have created resources that will help you make sense of your diagnosis and the most important information described in your report. Each article introduces the condition or disease and then highlights significant features that may be included in your report. They have also created a pathology dictionary that provides plain language definitions for many commonly used words and phrases.
Video Credits: The videos above were created by Dr Amir Hannan, MBE of Haughton Thornley Medical Centres, with patients from the practice and the patient participation group [PPG], who have all been pioneers of patients using GP Record Access, since 2007.