Blood tests

A blood test is often done to check your health, or to find out why you’re having certain symptoms. It involves having a small amount of your blood taken for testing.

Why a blood test is done

There are lots of reasons why you may need a blood test.

A blood test may be done to:

• check your general health
• find out if symptoms you’re having are caused by certain conditions
• find out if you’re more likely to get a condition
• find out how well a condition is being treated or managed

How to get a blood test

We offer both pre-booked and walk-in blood appointments.

Pre-Booked Blood Tests

Typically, we will contact you to book a blood test either via SMS (with a booking link), phone call or letter.

You can request a blood test via our appointments page. If it is relating to a chronic disease please phone our Planned Care Team.

Please note that to have a blood test they must have been requested by a clinician prior to the appointment.

Walk-in Bloods

This service is available to patients who are registered at Hall Green Health and have been requested to have a blood test a clinician.

Chronic disease patients (Diabetes and Cardiovascular) have separately arranged appointments so should not attend the walk-in blood clinic.

Please note that the walk-in clinic may need to close early if all the slots are filled.

What happens at a blood test

A healthcare professional will take a small amount of blood, usually from the inside of your elbow, using a needle. Sometimes blood may be taken from your wrist, or your finger (called a finger-prick test).

A soft strap (tourniquet) may be put around your arm first. This helps to make taking blood easier.

You’ll feel a scratch as the needle goes in, which may be a bit uncomfortable. Your blood will be collected in a small tube which will be sent to a lab for testing.

After the test, you’ll usually be given some cotton wool or a plaster to cover the area where the blood was taken.

You may get some bruising or swelling around the area where your blood was taken, but this should go away after a few days.