Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test.

For example, a blood test can be used to:

assess your general state of health

check if you have an infection

see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are working

screen for certain genetic conditions

Most blood tests only take a few minutes to complete and are carried out at your GP surgery or local hospital by a doctor, nurse or phlebotomist (a specialist in taking blood samples).