We have changed the way we manage urine testing at the Partnership. If you think you have a urine infection you will need to speak to a GP or Nurse who will discuss your symptoms and then decide if a test is required. There are three key changes that Patients will need to be aware of:
- We ask that you do not hand in a sample unless you have been asked to do so. Any to samples not requested by a clinician will be not be taken by the Partnership;
- If you have been asked to provide a sample, these need to be received by Reception before 14:00. Only in exceptional circumstances when a GP has requested the sample will one be taken after 14:00 and the GP will inform Reception to expect this. Please follow the GPs instructions.
- In line with NICE Guidance, urine dips are not always carried out in the surgery as they are not a reliable means of testing for infection in some patient groups. In these cases your sample will be sent to the hospital laboratory for testing if indicated.
Below are some FAQ’s that you may find useful.
What are urine samples used for?
Your GP or another healthcare professional may ask for a urine sample to help them diagnose or rule out health conditions. Urine contains waste products that are filtered out of the body. If it contains anything unusual, this may indicate an underlying health condition. Common reasons for being asked to provide a urine sample include;
- to diagnose or monitor certain conditions such as type 2 diabetes
- to check for microscopic blood
- to check for a urinary tract infection (UTI)
- to check for a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
- to confirm that you are pregnant
What do I need to know about collecting a urine sample?
If you are in the practice your GP or nurse will give you a container and explain how to collect a urine sample. On certain occasions you might be asked to provide a urine sample by letter or over the phone. In these instances you can collect a sample container from our reception desk. To collect a clean urine sample you should:
- Collect the sample at home
- label the container with your name, date of birth and the date;
- wash your hands;
- wash your genitalia to avoid contamination;
- start to urinate but don’t collect the first part of urine that comes out;
- collect a sample of urine ‘mid-stream’ in a sample container provided by the practice;
- screw the lid of the container shut;
- wash your hands thoroughly.
Further information can be found at: Taking_a_urine_sample.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
As long as the sample is clean and properly labelled you can drop the sample container in at the reception desk. If your doctor gives you any other instructions, you should also follow these. Please remember that any urines need to be handed in by 14:00 to Reception to allow for processing by a clinical member of staff.
What is a mid-stream urine sample?
A mid-stream urine sample means that you don’t collect the first part of urine that comes out or the last part. This reduces the risk of the sample being contaminated with bacteria from:
- your hands
- the skin around the urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body)
How long will I have to wait for a result?
Many urine samples can be quickly analysed so you should know the result within 24 hours if you have dropped a urine sample off to us.
For some more complex tests we need to send your urine sample off for laboratory testing. In these instances it might take up to 5 days for results to come back to the practice. These are sent electronically and are checked every day by our GPs. If there is a cause for concern we contact you within 24 hours of receiving the result.
Due to the high numbers of samples that we process on a daily basis we will not routinely inform you if the results are normal with no further action to take. If you would like to know the result, please contact the surgery.