FAQ's
Frequently Asked Question!
Everything you need to know and your questions answered
Taking blood
Start by making sure your hands are warm as this will increase blood flow. Massage your finder downwards towards the tip rather than squeezing and make sure you prick your middle or ring finger.
Yes. All our locations accept walk-ins.
Our phlebotomists will not take blood from children younger than 16 years old.
We have a variety of needle sizes in store to make your blood-taking experience comfortable.
All tubes must be filled as high as possible, this is to ensure that there is sufficient sample to provide a result.
You do not need to fast for our tests. If you have been requested by your GP or healthcare provider to fast, please write ‘fasting’ on the Test Request Form or call our Customer Service line at 020 7183 3718
At present, only our Manchester location is able to perform a blood test on a child, however, we will soon be increasing the number of staff trained to take blood from children. Please contact our site directly to book your appointment.
Ordering tests
Select a test on our products page. Register the test by inputting all your information. Pick a location and appointment time that is convenient to you.
Customer FAQ – We ship all our products using a next-day service. If there are any delays to your shipment, you will receive a notification. Please call our Customer Service team at 020 7183 3718 if you have not received your products after 3 working days.
Unfortunately, we cannot complete your order over the phone. However, our website has been designed to make the ordering process as easy as possible for you. If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service team at 020 7183 3718, and our team will be happy to guide you through the process.
Problems
Yes, we can send you a new test kit by post. Alternatively, you can visit one of our branches to have a phlebotomist take your sample for an additional £30 fee.
Unfortunately, there are certain situations when your results can be delayed. We’ve listed a few reasons below:
- Late delivery of the sample
- Maintenance of laboratory equipment
Haemolysed blood means that the red blood cells have been damaged during the blood collection or transport processes. Heat can cause it too. Haemolysed blood can be difficult to test and can mean that the blood test needs to be repeated.
Customer FAQ: Please call our Customer Service team at 0161 989 5333 or write to us at results@4medicaltesting.uk
Please allow 10 working days to process the credit once the products have been returned and checked.
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely guarantee that a sample will not clot. To avoid clotting, make sure you gently turn the tube over a couple of times to mix the blood if it has a green or purple top.
Results
Results will be sent the day after your sample arrives at the laboratory. For allergy testing and sexual health profiles, results will be sent 2-3 days after your sample arrives with us.
We recommend you contact your GP for a full interpretation of your results.
Unfortunately, on some occasions, our laboratory cannot perform a test on a sample. This is due to a sample falling short in terms of quality, volume, or some other eligibility criteria. In these cases, the laboratory may need to reject the sample, and not carry out the processing. Sometimes the laboratory is able to compensate for a suboptimal sample, although this often leads to delays and turnaround times may be affected. – this question is in the above section as well.
In some cases, only certain tests within a profile can be performed. This can happen for several reasons including where the sample was of insufficient volume or quality.
The normal ranges for tests can vary over time because we constantly revise the ranges to take into account any change in our testing equipment, chemical reagents used in the testing process, and the analysis techniques.
Preparing samples
As quickly as possible – blood samples can deteriorate over time so do not post on weekends, bank holidays, and at times when there is likely to be a delay.
Miscellaneous
Yes, for any NHS staff we are offering some tests at a discounted rate. Please email info@4medicaltesting.uk for more information.