01
Result received
Incoming pathology is identified within the agreed practice workflow and matched to the commissioned service scope.
Managed pathology results
Pathology management that closes the loop.
A managed primary-care results service for normal and abnormal pathology, with protocol-led review, prescribing, patient communication and escalation built around your practice.
Review. Act. Record.Each result moves through an agreed workflow to a documented clinical outcome.
Flexible coverage
Choose the coverage. Keep the governance.
Every service level runs under GP clinical supervision. GP+ adds a named GP who personally reviews and actions every result.
Three service levels built around how much of the results inbox you want PCS to manage.
Turnaround & GP+ definitions: “24-hour” and “same-day” turnaround apply within agreed service hours and cut-off arrangements. Critical or immediately concerning findings follow the agreed urgent escalation pathway rather than routine turnaround targets. “Guaranteed GP” means guaranteed GP involvement within the agreed GP+ workflow; the precise point of GP review and responsibility is defined in the service specification before go-live.
Results pathway
From result to recorded outcome.
A clear five-stage process designed to keep review, action, communication and responsibility visible.
02
Clinical review
Results are assessed against the patient record, agreed protocols and the clinical context available in the practice system.
03
Action completed
Agreed follow-up, prescribing, monitoring, coding or escalation is completed by the appropriate clinician or prescriber.
04
Patient communication
Messages are sent through agreed practice routes; results requiring direct clinical discussion follow the appropriate clinician pathway.
05
Outcome recorded
The decision, action and any outstanding responsibility are documented clearly so the result is not left in an ambiguous state.
Abnormal results are clinical work, not a filing task.Abnormal findings are clinically assessed before closure. Critical, unexpected or unresolved findings follow the agreed escalation and handover pathway, with absence and downtime arrangements defined at mobilisation.
GP+ in practice
From result to meaningful action.
More than flagging an abnormal number. GP+ combines the trend, clinical context and agreed protocol to create a clear next action, and makes sure responsibility is owned.
Trend + context + action + ownership
Result
72 → 80
HbA1c has risen from 72 to 80 mmol/mol in a patient with type 2 diabetes.
Trend recognised, not just the flag
Example GP+ action
Arrange a non-urgent clinical review.
Non-urgent telephone consultation with GP / clinical pharmacist: discuss the rising HbA1c, assess adherence and lifestyle, review current diabetic therapy and consider treatment intensification in line with NICE guidance and the local formulary, including an SGLT-2 inhibitor where clinically appropriate. Repeat HbA1c in approximately 3 months.
Result
ALT 64
A mildly raised ALT without an immediate red-flag feature in the information available to the reviewing clinician.
Investigation and recall built in
Example GP+ action
Investigate, recall and make sure it is reviewed.
Review previous liver tests, relevant medication and available metabolic/alcohol history. Set a 3-month diary recall for repeat LFTs and the locally agreed non-invasive liver / liver aetiology screen, with the required investigations requested through the practice workflow and the results brought back for review. Escalate earlier where the wider clinical context or associated abnormalities indicate.
Result
K⁺ 6.6
Severe hyperkalaemia identified in a community result.
Direct patient contact by PCS clinician
Example GP+ action
PCS clinician contacts the patient directly.
The PCS clinician reviews the result and available context, calls the patient themselves, explains the urgency and advises immediate Emergency Department attendance for an urgent ECG and repeat bloods. The action and handover are documented clearly, with emergency escalation where the patient is clinically unwell or cannot attend safely.
Illustrative examples only. The final action depends on the patient’s clinical context, associated results, laboratory comments, possible sample artefact and the practice’s agreed protocols and escalation pathways.
Service comparison
Clear coverage. No ambiguity.
Select a service card above to highlight the matching column and compare exactly what is included.
Swipe horizontally to view the full table.
| Service | Mixed | Abnormal | GP+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Bloods | Included | Not included | Included |
| Abnormal Bloods | Included | Included | Included |
| Treatment Issued | Included | Included | Included |
| Coding | Included | Included | Included |
| Actioned | Included | Included | Included |
| Prescribing | Included | Included | Included |
| SMS to Patients | Included | Included | Included |
| Personalised Protocols | Included | Included | Included |
| Turnaround | 24hrs | 24hrs | Same day |
| Guaranteed GP | Not included | Not included | Included |
Clinical reviewResults requiring clinical judgement are handled by an appropriately qualified clinician working within the commissioned scope.
PrescribingMedicines are initiated or amended only by an authorised prescriber and in line with the agreed protocol.
GP+GP+ guarantees GP involvement; the other service levels use the appropriate clinical workforce within the agreed governance model.
PCNs & federations
One managed service. Local protocols intact.
Standardise results management across multiple practices without losing the local thresholds, formularies and escalation routes each practice needs.
PCN / Federation
→
PCS managed results service
→
Practice-specific protocols
→
Practice APractice BPractice C
Central service managementOne commissioned route, named service lead and shared governance framework.
Local clinical rulesThresholds, formularies, tasking and escalation remain practice-specific where required.
Flexible capacityCapacity can be aligned to agreed inbox volumes, service levels and network priorities.
Consolidated reportingNetwork oversight with practice-level detail for review, planning and improvement.
Outcomes & reporting
See what is reviewed, actioned and escalated.
Reporting is agreed at mobilisation so practices and networks can understand workload, turnaround, clinical actions and exceptions, without relying on anecdote.
Results reviewedVolume by practice, service level or agreed result category.
TurnaroundTime from result availability to review and agreed next action.
Result profileVisibility of normal, abnormal and exception workload.
Actions & prescribingFollow-up, medicines actions and other agreed clinical interventions.
Escalations & exceptionsCritical, complex or out-of-protocol findings requiring additional review.
Patient communicationAgreed messaging and follow-up activity where included in the service.
NHS assurance
Built for NHS results workflows.
Governance is designed into mobilisation, delivery and review, not added after the service goes live.
Clinical governance
Named clinical leadership, agreed protocols, escalation routes and clinical supervision appropriate to the commissioned model.
Workforce assurance
Professional registration, competency, scope of practice and role-appropriate pre-employment checks.
Patient safety
Critical-result escalation, incident learning, audit and explicit handover of outstanding responsibility.
Information governance
Defined data-processing arrangements, appropriate system access, security controls and auditability.
Operational resilience
Absence cover, business continuity, downtime procedures and capacity escalation agreed before go-live.
Quality assurance
Sampling, service review and agreed performance measures support continuous improvement across the results workflow.
Works within the systems your practices already use
Discuss your workload
Tell us what your results inbox looks like.
We can scope the right service level, practice protocols, turnaround and reporting model around your existing workflow.