Urine Samples: Do You Need to Bring One In?

Urine samples are a useful tool for diagnosing certain conditions, but they are not always needed. We have created this leaflet to explain when you should and should not bring in a urine sample to the surgery.

When to Bring a Sample

Please only bring a urine sample to the surgery if:

1. A GP or another member of our clinical team has specifically asked you to provide.
2. It is for your annual health review for a specific long-term condition (e.g., diabetes). Or if you are unsure, please check with the receptionist beforehand.

In these cases, we ask that you bring the sample in a sterile, screw top bottle provided by the surgery or a pharmacy, samples in other containers cannot be accepted. Make sure your full name and date of birth are clearly written on the bottle.

Why We Don't Accept Other Samples

It might seem helpful to bring in a sample if you feel unwell, but a GP needs to assess your symptoms first to decide if a urine test is necessary. For example, some symptoms, like pain when urinating, can be caused by conditions that a urine test will not pick up. Bringing in a sample without a GP's request can also lead to:

• Delayed Diagnosis: A GP needs to understand your symptoms to know what the lab should test for. Without this information, the sample cannot be properly analysed, and your diagnosis might be delayed.
• Unnecessary Treatment: The presence of bacteria in a urine sample does not always mean you have an infection. If a sample is tested without a GP's assessment, it could lead to you being prescribed antibiotics that you do not need. Overusing antibiotics can contribute to antibiotic resistance, making it harder to treat infections in the future. Dipsticks become more unreliable with increasing age over 65.
• Wasted Resources: Testing and processing unnecessary samples uses up valuable staff time and laboratory resources. It should only be undertaken when clinically indicated. Following the correct process helps us manage our resources efficiently and focus on patients who need a test.

What to Do If You are Unwell

If you have symptoms you are concerned about, such as pain or a burning sensation when you urinate, please contact the surgery and speak to a member of our Patient Services Team. They will pass this information to a member of our clinical team who can decide on a plan for your care there maybe a rare occasion you will be asked to bring in a sample, but this on the clinicians clinical judgement and would need to be before 12pm. Anything else received other than the above will be turned away.