United Kingdom
NHS App test results explained
Your results are in the NHS App, sometimes before anyone at the surgery has talked them through with you. There is a short comment such as 'Normal, no action' or 'Satisfactory', a row of letters like FBC, U&E and LFT, and numbers in units such as mmol/L.
This guide is for that moment. It explains what each common UK blood test looks at, what the units and flags on the report mean, and what the GP's short comments usually say. It also shows how to see a parent's results when they want your help. Your GP surgery is still the place to ask about what your own results mean for you.
Seeing results online
- How to see your test results in the NHS App
Where to find test results in the NHS App, when they appear, what GP comments like 'Satisfactory' usually mean, and why some results are missing.
- How to see a parent's NHS App and GP record (proxy access)
How proxy access works: your parent agrees, the GP surgery sets it up, and you switch to their profile in the NHS App. What happens if they cannot agree.
Common blood tests
- Full blood count (FBC)
The full blood count is one of the most common blood tests a GP asks for.
- Urea and electrolytes (U&E)
A U&E is the routine UK blood test for kidney function and the balance of salts in your blood.
- Liver function tests (LFTs)
Liver function tests are a group of blood tests that look for signs of liver inflammation, bile duct problems and how well the liver makes protein.
- Thyroid function tests (TFTs)
Thyroid function tests show how well your thyroid gland is working.
- Lipid profile
A cholesterol test, or lipid profile, measures the fats in your blood that affect heart and circulation health.
- HbA1c
HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over the last two to three months.
- Bone profile
A bone profile is a group of blood tests UK labs run together to look at calcium and the things that affect it.
- Iron studies
Iron studies look at how much iron you have stored and how much is moving in your blood.
Call 999 in an emergency. For urgent advice that is not an emergency, use NHS 111 online or call 111. For questions about your test results, contact your GP surgery.
Keep your reports in one place
Take a photo or screenshot of your results, or upload the PDF, and Vita explains each number in plain words, suggests what to ask your GP, and keeps it with your past results. Vita does not connect to the NHS App or to any UK health record system, and its hospital connections are for US hospitals, not UK ones.
Vita Health Coach on the App StoreGeneral information, not medical advice. VitaMedas is not connected with any government health service. Vita Health Coach explains; it never diagnoses. In an emergency, call 999. Read the medical disclaimer.