
We are only able to do blood tests if these have been requested by us at the surgery. If you have been requested to have a blood test by another NHS service i.e. the hospital, this will now be done over at Chard Hospital site. You are able to book these in via the surgery. They currently hold clinics on a Tuesday and Wednesday all day, but are looking to do more days in future.
A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test.
For example, a blood test can be used to:
• Assess your general state of health
• Confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
• See how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning
A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. The usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child’s hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.
You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.