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# Worked example: blood tests and results

Blood-test requirements attach to particular exchanges: the request, laboratory report, care-team receipt, patient copy and any public-health notification. England's scoped pathology standard and applicable contracts govern a laboratory-to-GP digital flow, with an unresolved conformance timetable. NI's Belfast manual establishes defined local electronic routes. Neither establishes one digital rule for every UK blood result. [SRC-187](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-187), [SRC-188](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-188), [SRC-189](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-189), [SRC-218](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-218)

For boards and service owners, the assurance question is which source governs each leg, what data and format it specifies, and who must receive or act on it. A completed transmission is different from clinical review or patient notification.

## Follow the test from request to recipient

A GP or hospital orders a blood test, the laboratory validates and reports the result, and a clinician reviews it. The patient may request a copy. A notifiable finding may require an additional statutory report. This example does not assume one contract, laboratory system or national reporting rule applies throughout the UK.

| Step | Responsible organisation and information | Required or established digital action |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Request the test | The requesting service sends the laboratory the test request and required patient/sample information. | Actual laboratory acceptance terms apply. Belfast's manual requires the relevant encompass electronic-request workflow for its users, while retaining other routes for other users. [NI-D05](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#ni-d05). [SRC-218](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-218) |
| 2. Report to the clinical recipient | The laboratory reports to the requesting GP or other relevant service. | England's DAPB4101 defines a scoped pathology-specific UK Core FHIR R4/SNOMED CT flow through MESH. Its legal effect depends on the preserved older statutory regime and any applicable contract. [ENG-012](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#eng-012). [SRC-187](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-187), [SRC-188](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-188), [SRC-192](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-192), [SRC-181](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-181) |
| 3. Receive and review | The receiving care service needs the result in its working process. | Belfast's manual describes validated hospital results through EPIC and GP downloads by electronic data interchange (EDI). This establishes that service's route, not an NI-wide statutory deadline. Review, reconciliation and urgent escalation remain separate responsibilities. [NI-D06](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#ni-d06). [SRC-218](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-218) |
| 4. Provide the patient's copy | A patient or properly authorised representative exercises an information-access right. | An entitled electronic subject-access request normally requires a commonly used electronic copy, unless otherwise requested. It is a conditional UK-wide duty, distinct from immediate portal release of every result. [UK-001](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#uk-001). [SRC-260](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-260) |
| 5. Notify a public-health finding | The actor identified by the applicable national law supplies the specified notification information. | The trigger, recipient, timing and medium differ nationally. The table below separates these reports from the routine clinical result. |

## Content, coding and the pathology timetable

The initial DAPB4101 scope covers specified laboratory-to-GP disciplines. It does not mandate coded representation of every result value, interpretation, unit or specimen. Applicable SNOMED CT clinical terminology, medicines and identifier provisions can govern covered information without creating a new disclosure of every result. NHS-number requirements can include paper correspondence. [ENG-013](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#eng-013), [ENG-014](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#eng-014), [WAL-004](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md#wal-004). [SRC-187](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-187), [SRC-188](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-188)

The linked pathology notice states 30 April 2025. Later implementation material anticipates an extension without a replacement date and describes April 2027 pilot assurance. The replacement conformance timetable remains unresolved; this is not proof of completed national FHIR rollout. [SRC-189](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-189), [SRC-192](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-192)

## Four-nation position for clinical results

| Nation | Identified position | Meaning for the organisation |
|---|---|---|
| England | The scoped pathology standard, actual NHS contract and local service terms must be read together. | Verify the laboratory-to-GP discipline, format, relevant contract and transition; the evidence does not establish one current interface or automatic patient-release time for every result. [SRC-187](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-187), [SRC-188](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-188), [SRC-181](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-181) |
| Wales | National FHIR, reference-data and relevant medicines standards govern covered systems/exchanges through the routes stated in the catalogue. | A technical standard does not itself create every result-send duty. Actual adopting and local terms remain relevant. [SRC-196](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-196), [SRC-202](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-202) |
| Scotland | Electronic exchange/indexing arrangements support results. EH4001 v5 is recommended prospectively; the defined CGS eye-care direction has its own narrow scope. | Establish the applicable adopting direction, contract or service rule. Neither source is a universal pathology-transmission duty. [SRC-213](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-213), [SRC-216](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-216) |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast laboratory and DHCNI sources describe defined electronic reporting and selected portal availability. | Apply the named service's terms and release conditions. My Care excludes GP-requested results and has other coverage limits. [SRC-218](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-218), [SRC-225](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-225) |

The national chapters expand [England](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/nations/england/index.md), [Wales](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/nations/wales/index.md), [Scotland](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/nations/scotland/index.md) and [Northern Ireland](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/nations/northern-ireland/index.md). Electronic availability alone does not establish a universal upload, all-recipient access or release deadline.

## A notifiable result is a separate reporting event

| Nation and trigger | Recipient and timing in the cited provision | Method and scope |
|---|---|---|
| England: defined diagnostic-laboratory findings under regulation 4 | UKHSA; ordinary writing deadline seven days, with separate 24-hour provisions for specified results and urgent oral notification. | Writing and oral urgency are specified. This is not a digital-only rule for all blood results. [SRC-262](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-262) |
| Wales: defined causative-agent laboratory notification | Proper officer; writing within seven days, with urgent oral notification as soon as reasonably practicable. | Electronic communication is permitted subject to regulation 7 conditions; special later provisions need their own scope analysis. [SRC-205](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-205) |
| Scotland: laboratory director identifies a notifiable organism under section 16 | Specified Board/national recipients; written notification within ten days beginning identification, plus urgent oral notification. | Section 18 permits reproducible electronic form to satisfy writing; the notification duty is not universally digital-only. [SRC-214](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-214) |
| Northern Ireland: attending practitioner's notifiable-disease certificate | Director of Public Health; as soon as the practitioner is aware or has reasonable grounds for suspicion, subject to exceptions. | A practitioner certificate duty, not the English laboratory regime or an express digital-only method. [SRC-215](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/sources/index.md#src-215) |

A particular case needs the current disease/organism lists and specialised reporting provisions. Routine care reporting, notification, planning datasets and research access have different purposes and authorities.

## Patient and representative access

The justification for a care-team feed differs from a parent's portal account or another representative's request. Verify identity, actual authority, the permitted information and any access restrictions. Use the [four-nation capacity map](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/examples/capacity-and-representation/index.md) alongside current confidentiality and data-protection rules.

Digital receipt should also be distinguished from the receiving clinician's review, reconciliation and response. The [clinical responsibilities chapter](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/topics/clinical-safety-and-devices/index.md) explains that supporting assurance work.

[Requirements catalogue](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/digital-requirements/index.md) · [SCR and equivalents](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/examples/summary-care-records/index.md) · [Hospital discharge](https://uk-digital-healthcare-legal-requirements.pages.dev/examples/hospital-discharge/index.md)