Diagnostic turnaround times

Primary care colleagues can expect to receive test results from cardiology and pathology within the timeframes below.

These start when a sample is received in our laboratories, or the test has been completed. They are subject to change. 

  • 24-hour blood pressure monitoring: one week 
  • 24-hour ECG: two weeks 
  • Echo: two weeks 
  • ECG: one week 

  • 24-hour blood pressure monitoring: one day 
  • 24-hour ECG: three/four weeks 
  • Echo: one week 
  • ECG: one week 

All ECG results are sent with an automatically generated algorithm, rather than a separate clinical report. Results for the other tests listed above are sent with a cardiac physiologist report.

If you have a specific clinical question about your patients’ results, please submit an advice and guidance request via the NHS e-Referral Service. Do not submit a request for general comment on a patient’s results. 

  • Biochemistry tests: three days 
  • Haematology tests: two days

  • X-rays: ten days 
  • Ultrasounds: two days 
  • Dexa scans: three to four weeks 

Please ensure paper referrals include the signature of the referring GP. We are legally unable to accept referrals without a valid signature. For T-Quest requests, a signature is not required.

The patient should be given the T-Quest print out for x-ray requests (this does not require a signature).

  • X-rays: ten days 
  • Ultrasounds: two days 
  • Dexa scans: one to two weeks

Please ensure that paper referrals include the signature of the referring GP. We are legally unable to accept referrals without a valid signature. For T-Quest requests a signature is not required.

The patient should be given the T-Quest print out for X-ray requests (this does not require a signature).

Key contacts

How to contact our GP liaison service

The RFL GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to
  • hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information. We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Royal Free Hospital

Tel: 020 3758 2070
Email: rf-tr.biochemhaemaddon@nhs.net

Barnet Hospital/Chase Farm Hospital/Edgware Community Hospital

Tel: 020 8216 4885
Email: rf-tr.barnetlab.helpdesk@nhs.net

The results helplines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

tQuest support

For tQuest support enquiries, please email helpdesk@tdlpathology.com.

Royal Free Hospital

Email: rf.radiologyenquiries@nhs.net (monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

Barnet Hospital/Chase Farm Hospital/Potters Bar Hospital/Finchley Memorial Hospital/Edgware Community Hospital

Email: rf-tr.bh-radiology@nhs.net (monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

North Middlesex University Hospital

Email: northmid.radiology@nhs.net (monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

Referral information for GPs

A number of our services have GP-specific contact information for referrals — these are all provided below.

For all our services, please use our A-Z service search and when you are on the relevant service page, click on ‘referral information’ for full information about referrals.

Barnet Hospital GP enquiries: 020 8216 5446/020 8216 5453 (GI); 020 8216 5440 (vascular)

Chase Farm Hospital GP enquiries: 020 8375 1981, 020 8375 1910 or 020 8375 1912 (GI); 020 8375 8628 (vascular)

Royal Free Hospital GP enquiries: 020 7794 0500 ext 38666, 34832, 33603, 31090, 33938 and 33072

For non-urgent queries regarding medication, contact: rf-tr.icdcpharmacy@nhs.net.

For new diagnoses or urgent advice, call the HIV ward consultant on 07929 790 948 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).

Out of hours, call the switchboard via 020 7794 0500 and ask for the on-call specialty registrar (or HIV consultant).

For Royal Free Hospital GP enquiries, call 020 7794 0500 ext 36988.

If urgent advice is required, the rheumatology specialist registrars (ST3 and above), can be contacted by calling 020 7794 0500 and asking for bleep 1806, 1807, or ext 38491.

If urgent advice is required, the rheumatology specialist registrars (ST3 and above), can be contacted by calling 020 7794 0500 and asking for bleep 1806, 1807, or ext 38491.

GP enquiries: 020 7794 0500, bleep 2548 (neurology registrar on call) 

Email: rf.tia-referrals@nhs.net

Barnet Hospital GP enquiries: 020 8216 4029 or 020 8216 4196.

Links to other key information

Contact a service

You can find contact information for services on their individual service page.

Find a consultant

Outpatient appointments

How patients can contact us to ask about their appointment, referral, or test result.

My RFL Care Patient Portal

How patients can sign up to My RFL Care patient portal and view and manage appointments, receive and store copies of their hospital letters and more.

Patient transport

How patients can arrange non-emergency patient transport.

Making a complaint

How patients can make a complaint.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service

How patients can contact our patient advice and liaison services (PALS).

Service search

At the Royal Free London we strive to deliver the best care possible. To find out more about our services, use the keyword search and optional service filters below to quickly find the service you’re looking for.

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