Question about NHS / blood labs

[Labquestion]

sorry, just tried to find the answer online and can’t find any answers.

When I’ve had blood tests before, usually the results are back next day (or same day if it’s bad) however when I called for the results this time I was told they’re not here yet (the test was over 24 hours ago) they said sometimes it gets busy at the lab so it’s possible they haven’t been looked at yet or tested yet. But I was told before that if it’s a test for kidney function it has to be tested quickly or the potassium will be artificially higher. I’ve had poor health recently and had very low potassium and I’m concerned it’s still low but slightly worried that the blood test will show normal because it’s artificially higher if the sample has been lieing about. Does anyone know if that’s possible or am I worrying about nothing? I know that if it’s normal then it might just be that thankfully it’s back to normal again (that would be great) but I’m worried it’s low and will be artificially higher if it’s not even been tested yet.

does anyone have any knowledge about this? Cheers!

Depends on where it was tested (gp practice or hospital), what time the sample is collected, if GP surgery then who did the blood form gp or hospital consultant etc.

Potassium can be out of range, although it would be high afaia, if the sample isn’t tested same day but results are only received by our surgery once a day so they may be tested late that day but results not yet received.

Receptionists often say it’s not back yet if the results are ‘provisional’ meaning they haven’t been seen or commented on yet by the nurse/gp because they are far too busy to go into in-depth conversations, and have patients demand they are looked at, when they are there but not yet seen by a clinician.

If the blood form was ordered by hospital consultant then the results won’t be sent to the gp surgery at all, although they may eventually get a letter in a couple of weeks saying ‘mrs x had test ….was in normal range….to be retested in x weeks/months blah blah blah’.

thanks for all the info.

yeah, that’s what I’m worried about- in case it hasn’t been tested yet and so when it is tested it reads artificially higher than it is (as in, im scared it’s actually low but comes out normal or high because it’s been raised from sitting about for so long)

yep, it was a blood test at the GP

x

Quick bump in case anyone else sees this👍🏻

There's been a huge cyber attack on a London lab, as a result there is a reciprocal agreement with labs across England to process results. This could be the delay

Oh I wonder if that’s it, although I’m not in England but is it affecting uk-wide? (I’m in scotland)

I’ll go and google it, thank you for the information.

Panic over, got the results through now👍🏻

Hope all ok @Labquestion