How Can I Get a Blood Test Without a GP Referral?
With the rise of private testing facilities in the UK, getting a blood test without a GP referral has never been so easy. If you’re not sure if you can get a blood test without a doctor's referral, read on to get the full details in this guide.
How Does Blood Testing Work?
In the UK, there are three routes to getting a blood test; through your NHS GP, directly with a testing lab, or with a private testing service.
For almost all blood tests, no doctor's referral is required. This means you’re free to take a blood test with any provider. For standard tests, such as health assessments, cancer checks or vitamin and mineral testing, you do not need a GP referral.
For tests such as these, you have 3 options:
- Visit your GP and ask for the blood test you want – it is at the GP's discretion whether they agree to give you the test or not. This service is free.
- A private testing service - will carry out your test and provide a results report with an interpretation of the results and recommendations of next steps. This is a paid service.
- Work directly with a private testing lab – You will need to provide your blood sample to the lab, and while they will provide you with test results, there will be no interpretation of your results. You will need to take the results to a specialist to interpret and give recommendations. This is a paid service and usually the most expensive one as you are an individual with a one-off test rather than a company dealing with the laboratory on a regular basis.
What Blood Tests Need a Doctor's Referral?
It is a misconception that blood tests require a doctor's referral. In the UK, blood tests do not need a GP or specialist referral. At Bluecrest Wellness, all our tests and packages are available without a referral from a doctor.
The need for a referral is more common for detailed investigations requiring hospital procedures or specialised equipment.
How do I Get a Blood Test Without a GP Referral?
Getting a blood test without a GP referral has never been so quick and easy. With Bluecrest Wellness, you can get a blood test without a GP referral in 3 easy steps:
- Book your test online and choose the most convenient venue for you to attend – we have over 350 venues across the UK and Ireland so that you can find a test centre within 20 minutes of your home or work. If you are unsure which test to book you can speak with one of our team who will advise you.
- Attend your appointment. You will be given the specific details of your test when you book – such as if you do or do not need to fast before your test. A trained health assessment specialist will take your blood sample, taking less than 15 minutes in total.
- Receive your results through email with a full report that interprets your results and makes recommendations for the next steps if needed. Talk with one of our GPs if you have questions or concerns.
It really is that simple, and with Bluecrest Wellness, you will never pay above the odds. Our tests are affordable, convenient and accessible without compromising on quality or clinical robustness.
How Will I Receive my Blood Test Results?
If you take a test directly with a private testing laboratory or with a private testing service, you will receive your results in a digital or paper format. If you get a test through your NHS, you may be given your results by phone or you may need to book another appointment.
With Bluecrest Wellness, you will receive your test results within 8 days of taking the test. A full Results Report will be sent to you by email in a digital format. You can request a paper copy also which will be sent to you in the post.
Your test results are explained in detail and given a flag of red, amber or green - this allows you to easily see an overview of any results of concern or that need further investigation.
What Happens if my Blood Test Results Show a Problem?
If you test with Bluecrest Wellness, we have a robust reporting procedure and you will be informed immediately of any significant problems. If any irregularity is detected, we will guide you on the next steps, whether it involves presenting your results to your GP, retesting after a suitable period, or conducting further investigations with additional tests. In the case of significantly abnormal findings, one of our team will contact you directly.
Book a Blood Test with Bluecrest Wellness
Whether you’re looking for an individual test for a specific concern, are not sure which test is right for you or you would like to gain insights into your overall health with a full body health check, we can help.
Just head to the test booking page on our website or give our knowledgeable and helpful team a call on freephone 0800 652 2183.
Need help? Call free on 0800 652 2183 to speak to one of our team.
FAQs
What blood tests are available at Bluecrest Wellness?
We offer a wide range of tests and are adding new tests to our convenient testing service all the time. Our tests are broken down into vitamin and mineral testing, packages – such as diabetes testing and cancer checks, and our full body health checks that give you a top to toe assessment of your current health.
Are blood tests done in clinic or at home?
All of our tests are carried out in person by trained health assessment specialists in one of our 350 venues across the UK and Ireland. An in-person test guarantees the accuracy of your test results and enables us to get your samples to the laboratory for testing quickly, giving you your results faster.
Our venues are chosen for their comfortable surroundings, convenient locations, accessibility, parking and great transport links. We know our clients enjoy the relaxed, friendly, private and comfortable surroundings, with no long waits in crowded waiting rooms or having to attend a busy hospital.
Because we don’t have the substantial overheads associated with running a private hospital, we can pass our savings on to our clients by offering affordable health checks without compromising on clinical excellence.
How much do blood tests cost?
The cost of blood tests varies greatly. The cost is defined by things such as the technology used for the testing if a specialist needs to carry out the test, and the cost of processing the test and analysing the data. The cheapest blood test is less than £20 if you go through a private testing service, and health packages that include many tests carried out at the same time can cost several hundred pounds.
How long does it take to receive my results?
With Bluecrest Wellness testing, many test results are available within 8 days, other tests take longer to be processed at the laboratory. A full Results Report will be sent to you by email in a digital format. You can request a paper copy also which will be sent to you in the post. Your test results are explained in detail and given a flag of red, amber or green - this allows you to easily see an overview of any results of concern or that need further investigation.
