Dr. Shireen, a GP and Medical Educator, is urging people not to assume that no news is good news when it comes to their blood test or scan results. In a recent social media post, she emphasized the importance of proactively checking and verifying test results.
Dr. Shireen clarified that the absence of communication from the GP does not necessarily indicate a clean bill of health. She explained that medical practices manage a large volume of tests and may not always communicate immediately if results are normal. Additionally, urgent or abnormal findings may be prioritized for immediate attention, leading to delays in communicating routine results.
To address this, Dr. Shireen outlined various methods for patients to access their results, such as using the NHS app, emailing the GP surgery, or sending an e-consult to request the results. Depending on the practice, receptionists may be able to share normal results, and patients can also request telephone appointments to discuss their results with the GP.
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Highlighting the need for proactive follow-up, Dr. Shireen stressed the importance of not assuming normality if no communication is received. She emphasized the value of confirming results and recommended following up with the GP surgery after every test.
According to the NHS website, individuals aged 16 or over and registered with a GP surgery can access their test results online using the NHS app or the NHS website. The NHS advises contacting the GP surgery or specialist if no communication regarding the results is received within a few weeks.