Blood Tests in Manchester

Manchester's pharmacist-led private blood test clinic

Trafford Clinic operates from Empire Pharmacy on Seymour Grove in Old Trafford, GPhC-registered premises 1123966, led by Haroon Mohammad Iqbal MPharm, IP (GPhC reg. 2051093). All samples are processed at The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), a UKAS-accredited medical laboratory used by NHS trusts and consultant private practices across the UK — not a budget direct-to-consumer kit lab. Phlebotomy follows the Royal College of Pathologists standards for sample collection and labelling, and every report is read and annotated by an Independent Prescriber before it reaches you. Results in 24–48 hours, by email, with a printable PDF for your GP if needed.

What we test for — the full panel menu

We offer 20+ named panels and most named single tests, including:

• Full Blood Count (FBC) — haemoglobin, MCV, white cells, platelets; baseline screen for anaemia, infection, marrow disorders.
• Lipid profile — total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, non-HDL, cholesterol ratio; fasting strongly recommended.
• HbA1c — 90-day glucose average; the gold-standard for diabetes diagnosis and monitoring (per NICE CKS Diabetes, 48 mmol/mol diagnostic, 42–47 prediabetic). Particularly relevant for our patients before starting GLP-1 weight loss therapy.
• Liver function (LFTs) — ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, bilirubin, albumin.
• Urea & electrolytes / Renal profile — creatinine, eGFR, urea, sodium, potassium.
• Thyroid function — TSH, free T4, free T3, with anti-TPO and anti-Tg antibodies on request for autoimmune workup.
• Iron studies — ferritin, serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation.
• Vitamin D (25-OH), vitamin B12 (with active B12 / holotranscobalamin where indicated), folate.
• Hormone panels — total and free testosterone, oestradiol, FSH, LH, AMH, SHBG, prolactin, DHEA-S, cortisol.
• Inflammatory markers — CRP, ESR.
• PSA (prostate-specific antigen) with age-band reference ranges and the standard caveats around recent ejaculation, exercise and urinary infection.
• Coeliac screen — anti-tTG IgA with total IgA.

Fasting, timing and pre-test instructions

Lipid panels are most accurate after a 10–14 hour overnight fast (water permitted). Glucose and HbA1c don't require fasting but most patients book lipids and HbA1c together, so we usually advise morning fasted appointments. Testosterone is most accurate between 7–9am, when levels peak. For thyroid: take levothyroxine after the blood draw. We give exact instructions when you book, and a same-day text reminder.

Weight-loss baseline panels

If you're starting Mounjaro or Wegovy at our Manchester weight loss clinic we strongly recommend a baseline panel: HbA1c, U&E, LFTs, TSH/T3/T4, lipid profile, vitamin D. We repeat at 6 months and at maintenance dose to track the metabolic improvement and catch any masked dysfunction. The same panel is sensible for any adult considering GLP-1 therapy with comorbidities. Patients from Rusholme, Salford and Sale book this regularly.

B12, ferritin and fatigue workup

For tired or breathless patients we run a focused panel: FBC + reticulocytes (anaemia and marrow response), serum B12 with active B12 reflex if borderline, folate, ferritin, TSH/T3/T4, vitamin D, CRP, and HbA1c. If serum B12 is below the reference range (typically <211 ng/L on TDL) we cross-reference with the British Society for Haematology guidelines and can move you straight onto our hydroxocobalamin B12 injection clinic for loading-dose treatment. The Schilling test is historical; in practice, MMA (methylmalonic acid) and homocysteine are the confirmatory second-line tests when serum B12 is equivocal.

Children and family bookings

We test under-16s with parental consent and accompaniment. For small children where venous draw is difficult we use capillary fingerprick collection for the tests that allow it (HbA1c, lipid, B12, ferritin, vitamin D). For phobic patients we book 30-minute slots and use a butterfly needle.

Who we see across Manchester

Our blood-test bookings come from across the city — see our local pages for Manchester city centre, Salford Quays (where the MediaCity professional crowd booking executive screens cluster), Rusholme, Altrincham, Sale, Stretford, Chorlton, Salford, Eccles, Old Trafford and Whalley Range. Same UKAS lab, same pharmacist annotation, same 24–48-hour turnaround.

What private results mean for your NHS care

NHS GPs accept private results as supporting evidence but retain the right to repeat tests through NHS labs before any formal diagnosis or treatment change — standard practice across the UK and explicitly endorsed in NICE pathway documents. If a flag warrants GP review we provide a free annotated summary letter you can hand over at your appointment, citing reference ranges and the relevant guideline.

Related services and how to book

Travelling and need pre-travel antibody titres? See our Manchester travel clinic for Hep B titre, MMR serology and varicella status. Starting weight loss? See our weight loss page. B12 deficiency confirmed? Move straight to B12 injections. Ear health, hearing checks and microsuction live at our microsuction page. Brand context for blood testing sits at our blood tests page. Book online at traffordclinic.co.uk/blood-tests or call 0161 258 6149 — the clinic is at 122 Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, M16 0FF, with free parking and Trafford Bar Metrolink two minutes away. See pricing for the current panel rates.