FAQ

Yes we do.

Its always nice to hear a compliment

please email these over to us at info@bloods.uk

If for any reason you do have a complaint to make you can email us info@bloods.uk

There are a few reasons why your sample may not test well they are listed below

Sometimes issues can arise, an error message could show on a report for example:

• Hemolyzed

Hemolysis describes the rupture of red blood cells, this type of blood sample contamination frequently happens because of improper specimen collection or poor sample handling techniques.

• Insufficient

Not Enough blood in the tubes for the lab to test the markers required.

• Clotted 

Cells can become damaged by forcing the blood from the finger. This can be avoided by doing a little exercise beforehand to get the blood flowing, warming your hands with warm water, making sure you are hydrated and letting gravity help by standing and letting the blood drip freely when taking a capillary (Finger prick) sample.

Improper mixing of the blood sample

Tubes need to be mixed with content of the vial by inverting the tube 8-10 times immediately after collection to mix the blood thoroughly. These should be gentle inversions, avoiding rigorous shaking.

• No sample

Some tests need more than one coloured tube for testing, all tubes need to be sent to the lab.

• Unlabeled

Your test kit will have a label enclosed and a lab form. Your sample must have a label on it, this is for regulatory reasons. If your sample does not have a label on It and a form with it your sample may not be tested. This is important.

• Mis matched.

If the information on the label and the lab form do not match. Or if the lids of your tubes have been swapped. The lab simply cannot test that sample.

Too Old 

Blood degenerates and sometimes will be too old to test by the time it reaches the lab.

We charge a small fee for markers to be tested a second time if they were initially unsuccessful. 

Bloods UK is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the regulated activity of Screening and Diagnostic Services. We are also in the process of attaining UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, the internationally recognised standard for testing laboratories, which we already adhere to in our operations.

Our quality assurance policy is built around the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, which we follow in our day-to-day operations. This means maintaining robust governance, safeguarding practices, accurate and traceable results, and continuous improvement.
We are committed to external quality assurance (EQA) and regularly participate in both the RIQAS and NEQAS EQA schemes to independently verify our analytical performance. This ensures our results are accurate, reliable, and comparable to other laboratories across the UK and internationally.