Blood test (Phlebotomy Service)
If you are asked by your GP to have a blood test please simply walk in to the Blood Test Clinic on the ground floor of the Nelson Health Centre or contact one of our Patient Navigators to make an appointment.
If you are asked to have a FASTING blood test please have nothing to eat or drink (except for plain water), for 12 hours before your test, unless you are diabetic. Please tell one of our Patient Navigators it is for a fasting blood test and they will try and give you an early appointment.
If your child is having a blood test and they require a cream (Emla cream) to numb the area please ask the prescription clerk who will arrange for you to have a prescription for the cream which you will need to apply at least 1 hour before the test.
How to apply Emla cream:
For more information regarding blood tests see this website:
Other diagnostic tests
The practice also do the following tests:
- Heart tracing (Electrocardiogram – ECG)
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Spirometry (Lung function test)
- Peak flow Reversibility test (for asthma)
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.
You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS website.
