Agree how you will hear about the result
This guide covers getting a result and organising the next conversation. It does not interpret blood values, scans or other findings. For that, speak to the GP or hospital team that requested the test.
The NHS recommends asking how results will arrive and who to contact if they do not. Before the test, write down:
- The test and the service that requested it: …
- The expected result date or timeframe: …
- How I will hear, or whether I need to make contact: …
- The contact details if I have not heard: …
For blood tests, timing depends on the test being processed. If you were not given a timeframe, ask the requesting service. If several tests were ordered, ask whether all the results have returned.
Finding results in the NHS App in England
Open Test results in the NHS App and follow the notice before viewing your information. NHS App help explains the current steps. You can see GP-ordered results, including some tests performed at a hospital on your GP’s request.
Some users also have access to hospital-ordered results through Patients Know Best. Not every hospital result appears, and some hospitals use a separate patient portal. A result may also be missing because it was arranged privately or was a maternity test.
If you cannot find a result, contact the service that requested it. Ask your GP surgery about access problems with GP results; ask your hospital about its own results system. For a copy, contact the relevant service. The app does not currently provide a test-result download.
These app instructions are for England. Elsewhere in the UK, ask your GP or hospital which online and offline options they provide.
If a result is delayed or unclear
Try a short message such as:
I had [test] on [date], requested by [service]. I was expecting to hear by [date]. Please can you confirm whether the result is back, who will explain it and what I need to do next?
Use the service’s usual contact route. Keep sensitive health information out of public posts and website search boxes.
If you can see a result but do not understand it, request an explanation. Our blood test results explainer introduces reference ranges; it cannot decide what a flagged value means for you.
Leave the conversation with a follow-up plan
Make a separate note of any action you need to take, the action the healthcare team will take, and the next review date. Ask what to do if your symptoms change before then. The questions for your GP tool can help you prepare.
Do not wait for a result to seek help with urgent symptoms. Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. Our UK urgent-care guide explains other routes to NHS help.
Common questions
- How long do blood test results take?
- Timing varies by test. NHS guidance says results may arrive in a few days and usually within a few weeks. Ask for the timeframe for your particular test and contact the requesting service if you have not heard by then.
- What if I cannot use the NHS App?
- Ask the service that requested your test how to receive the result another way. Explain any communication or accessible-format needs when arranging this. You do not need an app to ask your healthcare team about your care.
- Does no news mean my result is normal?
- Do not use silence or a blank app screen to interpret a result. Check the communication arrangement with the requesting service and ask them to confirm the result and whether follow-up is needed.