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Short answer: there are three ways to get a blood test in the UK. Your GP can arrange one free on the NHS when it is clinically needed. If your GP has already given you a blood form but you cannot get a convenient appointment, a private clinic can take the sample for a fee (£40 at Swift) and the NHS still processes it. Or you can book a fully private test yourself, without a referral, and pay for the test and the sample collection.
This guide explains each route, what it costs, how long it takes, and when paying privately is and is not worth it.
Do not wait for a blood test if you have urgent symptoms.
Call 999 for chest pain, severe breathlessness, signs of a stroke, or heavy bleeding. Call NHS 111 or your GP the same day for symptoms that are new, severe or getting worse quickly. A private blood test is not a substitute for urgent care.
| 1. NHS via your GP | 2. GP form, private blood draw | 3. Fully private test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you need a referral? | Yes, your GP decides | Yes, you already have the form | No |
| Cost | Free | £40 at Swift for taking the sample | From £30 for a single test at Swift |
| Who chooses the tests? | Your GP | Your GP or hospital | You |
| Where the sample is taken | GP surgery or NHS blood clinic | Swift clinic or Essex home visit | Swift clinic, Essex home visit, or kit where available |
| Who gets the results? | Your GP | Your GP or the hospital team on the form | You |
| Best for | Symptoms that need a doctor’s assessment | Skipping a long wait for an NHS blood appointment | Tests your GP has not offered, or when you want results quickly |
If you have symptoms, start here. Your GP will assess you, decide which tests are needed, and arrange them at the surgery or a local NHS blood clinic. The test is free, and the results go straight to the doctor who will act on them.
The NHS route makes most sense when you are unwell, when you may need treatment or a referral, or when you are not sure which test you need. The main drawbacks are waiting times for a GP appointment and then for a blood test slot, and the fact that your GP will only order tests they consider clinically necessary.
Many people already have a blood form from their GP or hospital but cannot find a convenient slot to have the sample taken. In that case you do not need to pay for a private test. Swift can take your blood at one of our clinics or at home in Essex for £40, using your existing form. The sample goes to the laboratory named on the form, the NHS processes it, and the results go back to your GP or hospital team as normal.
This is often the quickest and cheapest way to get a test done when you already have the paperwork.
Book a blood draw for your GP form: £40
You can book a private blood test yourself, with no GP referral. You choose the test, book a time, and receive the results directly. People usually choose this route when they want to check something their GP has not offered, when they want a result quickly, or when they need an appointment that fits around work or family.
Pick a test that matches your question, rather than the biggest panel available. Some common starting points:
You can browse every test on our find your test page. For a full price list, see how much a private blood test costs in the UK.
When you book, you choose a clinic appointment, a home visit (available in Essex), or a kit where the test page offers one. A venous sample taken from your arm by a trained professional is suitable for every test. Some providers elsewhere sell finger-prick kits, which are convenient but not suitable for every marker.
Each test page explains whether you need to fast or book at a particular time of day or point in your cycle. For example, the AMH test needs no fasting and can be done on any day, while some hormone tests need to be timed.
Turnaround depends on the test and is shown on each test page. For example, AMH results are usually ready in 1 working day and the Tired All the Time panel in 1 to 2 working days.
If a result is outside the normal range, or if you still feel unwell, book a GP appointment and take your results with you.
Your GP may take private results into account, but they are not obliged to act on them. The British Medical Association’s guidance is that GPs should use their clinical judgement about private results, and they may repeat a test on the NHS before making decisions about treatment. Bring a copy of your results and explain why you had the test. Results are most useful to a GP when the test was relevant to your symptoms.
Swift Blood Tests has locations in Billericay, Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Bromley and Sunbury, with home visits across Essex. Use the clinic finder to see your nearest location, or call 01277 652067 if you are not sure which test to book.
Choose your test and book online
Yes. You can book a private blood test yourself without a GP referral. You choose the test and receive the results directly.
If you already have a blood form from your GP or hospital, you can pay a private clinic to take the sample. At Swift this costs £40, and the tests are still processed by the NHS with results going to your GP.
At Swift, single tests start at £30 and comprehensive health checks cost £155 to £175. See our full guide to private blood test prices for details.
You can see available appointment times when you book online, with no wait for a referral. Turnaround for each test is shown on its page. For example, AMH results are usually ready in 1 working day and the Tired All the Time panel in 1 to 2 working days.
Accuracy depends on the laboratory and how the sample is collected, not on whether you pay. A venous sample taken by a trained professional is suitable for all tests. Ask any provider which laboratory processes their samples.
Your GP can consider them but is not obliged to act on them, and may repeat a test on the NHS before making treatment decisions.
Only for some tests. Each test page tells you whether fasting or timing is needed.
Swift offers home visits in Essex, where a trained professional takes your sample at home. Outside Essex, you can visit one of our clinics.
