There is no single “full blood test” on the NHS. Your GP picks a set of tests to answer a question — tiredness, a medicine check, a health check — and the most common ones are a full blood count, kidney function (U&E, eGFR), liver function tests, cholesterol, HbA1c and, depending on symptoms, thyroid, ferritin, B12/folate and CRP.
| Category | Reference range |
|---|---|
| FBC (full blood count) | anaemia, infection, blood cell disorders common GP blood tests |
| U&E and eGFR | kidney function, sodium and potassium common GP blood tests |
| LFTs (liver function tests) | liver and bile ducts common GP blood tests |
| Lipid profile | cholesterol and heart and stroke risk common GP blood tests |
| HbA1c | average blood sugar over 2–3 months common GP blood tests |
| TFTs (TSH, free T4) | thyroid activity common GP blood tests |
| Ferritin | iron stores common GP blood tests |
| Vitamin B12 and folate | causes of anaemia or nerve symptoms common GP blood tests |
| CRP | inflammation or infection common GP blood tests |
Which tests you get depends on why they were requested. Reference ranges differ between labs — use the ones on your report.
NHS blood tests are requested to answer a clinical question, not to measure everything. Someone with tiredness might have an FBC, ferritin, thyroid tests and HbA1c; someone starting a statin might have cholesterol and liver tests; someone on blood-pressure tablets might have U&E. That is why two people who both had “a full blood test” can see completely different lists in the NHS App.
Private “full blood test packages” bundle many of these together. They can be useful, but the more tests you have without a reason, the more likely it is that one sits just outside its range for no meaningful reason — so results still need interpreting with a clinician.
If you are 40 to 74 and do not already have a condition such as heart disease, diabetes or a previous stroke, you should be invited to an NHS Health Check every 5 years. It includes height, weight, waist and blood pressure, a cholesterol test and possibly a blood sugar test, and gives you a score for your risk of heart and circulation problems over the next 10 years. It is the closest thing the NHS has to a routine check-up.
Some surgeries only contact you if a result needs discussing. Comments such as “satisfactory” are added by the clinician who reviewed the result — if you are unsure what one means, ask the surgery.
Checked against:
No need to decode the numbers yourself: take a photo of the report and the app explains “Full blood test / health check bloods” and the rest in plain words — what is normal and what deserves attention.
App StoreGoogle PlayWeb versionIt depends on what your GP requested. Commonly: blood count, kidney and liver function, cholesterol, HbA1c, and sometimes thyroid, ferritin, B12/folate and CRP.
No. A full blood count (FBC) is one test of red cells, white cells and platelets. A “full blood test” is an informal name for a group of tests.
Usually not. FBC, liver tests, CRP, HbA1c and standard cholesterol do not need fasting. Only some tests, such as fasting glucose, do.
Many people can see results in the NHS App or their NHS account online. Results usually take a few days; contact the surgery if you hear nothing after a few weeks.
You can discuss symptoms or worries with your GP, who will request the tests that answer that question. Adults aged 40–74 are invited to an NHS Health Check every 5 years.
This material is for general information only. It is not a medical opinion and does not replace a consultation with a doctor. Reference ranges depend on the laboratory and the method — rely on the range printed on your own report. Your doctor makes the final interpretation.
Ponyatno