Full Blood Count (FBC/CBC) Blood Test

FULL BLOOD COUNT BLOOD TEST

A full blood count test (FBC) is a set of medical laboratory tests that provide information about the cells in your blood. 15 biomarkers and ratios are worked out during the analysis, including:

• White blood cell count
• Red blood cells and platelets
• The concentration of haemoglobin
• The haematocrit (the volume percentage of red blood cells)
• DIFF count (venous sample only)

Also included are the red blood cell indices, which indicate the average size and haemoglobin content of red blood cells, as well as the white blood cell differential, which counts the different types of white cells is also included.

Conditions like anaemia and thrombocytopenia are defined by abnormal full blood count test results. The red blood cell indices can provide information about the cause of a person's anaemia such as iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency, and the results of the white blood cell differential can help to diagnose viral, bacterial and parasitic infections and blood disorders like leukaemia.

If you’re not sure exactly what you need, we advise all our clients to consult with a GP or one of our Registered Nutritionists before taking any blood tests. However, below you can find more information about this panel, and we hope it will help.

IS THE FULL BLOOD COUNT (FBC/CBC) BLOOD TEST RIGHT FOR ME?

The Full Blood Count is one of the most powerful starting points in understanding your overall health. It provides a wealth of information about the functioning of your immune system, your nutritional status, and whether there are signs of infection or more serious underlying conditions.

If you’re unsure where to begin with your health investigations, this is the test to choose — offering a comprehensive snapshot of your wellbeing.

You may benefit from this test if you want to:

• Check for anaemia
• Assess the health and strength of your immune system
• Ensure your blood is clotting properly
• Identify potential micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, vitamin B12, or folate

With the LoveSelf Full Blood Count, you can take the first, most important step towards understanding your health from the inside out.

SYMPTOMS AND TAGS

Anaemia, Blood in stool, Blood in urine, Chronic fatigue, Confusion, Easy bruising, Fainting, Fatigue, Feeling sick, Fever, Frequent infections, Hair loss, Headache, High blood pressure, Immune system, Inflammation, Insomnia/lack of sleep, Itchy skin, Thirsty all the time, Tiredness and Weakness

1. Fill out the contact form on the main page
2. Choose your preferred panel
3. Select between a Home Kit (via post), a Clinic Appointment, or VIP service
4. Make the payment online.
5. We'll contact you to arrange a clinic appointment or a VIP service and email you with your home kit delivery details.

Not sure which panel or test is right for you? Reach out to one of our Registered Nutritionists  

COLLECTION OPTIONS

1. VIP: Home/Office/Hotel visit by our phlebotomist – Available in London UK only (1-3 days)
2. Clinic visit (24+ UK locations, 1-3 days)
3. At-home kit (3-6 days)

VIP Phlebotomist Visit (London Only):

Perfect for busy individuals or corporate teams.

• Available across London.
• Once payment is received, our team will contact you to arrange your appointment — usually the same day if booked before 10 am, or the next day if later.
• Additional patients beyond 10 are charged £25 each, invoiced after the visit.
• Please select the total number of blood tests at checkout so our phlebotomist can bring the right equipment.
• Your blood will be collected by a trained phlebotomist and delivered directly to our lab for fast, accurate results.

In-Clinic Appointment:

Quick, professional, and convenient.

• Same or next working day appointment.
• We’ll contact you within 60 minutes of booking to arrange your visit.
• Your blood will be collected by a trained phlebotomist and sent directly to our lab for fast, accurate results.
• Choose your nearest clinic and skip the wait. (Check Locations)

Home Kit:

Test from the comfort of your home — anywhere in mainland UK.

• Everything you need to collect your sample in about 15 minutes.
• Return it to our lab via Prepaid Royal Mail  Tracked 24.
• Free replacement kit if anything goes wrong or more blood is needed — so you can order with confidence.

We advise to take the sample while well hydrated and preferably in the morning, but otherwise, there are no special instructions, such as fasting, for this test.

Clinic appointment - how to prepare for the Full Blood Count (FBC/CBC) Blood Test

If you are coming into one of our clinics for the test, this is what you need to do before you arrive:

• Read the instructions in the SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS section
• Drink plenty of water about an hour before the appointment.
• Avoid coffee/tea/energy drinks. Water is good!
• That’s it! We’ll do the rest.

Home test kit – Not Available

BEFORE YOU BOOK

The FBC is often the first step of many medical assessments and can be used to monitor or diagnose disease. As with any test, full blood count test results are compared to reference ranges and interpreted thereafter. The reference ranges generally vary with sex and age, so if you are booking this test, make sure that you provide us with an accurate date of birth and your reference sex.

We offer this test as both capillary and venous sample options. However, this test is extremely time sensitive and the sample deteriorates, so you must send it to us in-line with exact instructions for posting (Monday to Thursday, before 12:00, taken in the morning before posting) found with your kit.

We do not report some DIFF parameters in the home kit samples. If you are undergoing a specific investigation that requires full DIFF with less common parameters - please book the venous version of this test, at one of our clinics.

Not all results falling outside of the reference range require medical intervention, please consult your GP.

FULL BLOOD COUNT

- White Blood Cell Count (WBC)
- Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)
- Haemoglobin (HGB)
- Hematocrit (HCT)
- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
- Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH)
- Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
- Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)
- Platelets* (PLT)
- Mean Platelet Volume* (MPV)
- Lymphocytes* (LYM)
- Monocytes* (MON)
- Neutrophils* (NEU)
- Eosinophils* (EOS)
- Basophils* (BAS)

We always encourage you to visit one of our Clinique for any of our blood tests.

HOME KIT VIA ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 24

This service costs additional £19.00 and includes:

Available everywhere in mainland UK.

Includes everything you need to take a safe and suitable blood sample in about 15 minutes.

Post the sample back to our laboratory via Royal Mail Tracked 24.

CLINIC APPOINTMENT - SAME OR NEXT WORKING DAY

This service costs additional £38.00 and includes:

• No waiting. We will call you within 2 hours to book your appointment for the same day when purchased before 10am or following day if later than 10am.
• Quick blood collection from your vein, by our professional phlebotomist.
• Blood transported directly to our laboratory - for quick and accurate results.

1. No home kit available for this panel.

Less common Full Blood Count Markers (marked with *symbol) are not reported in Capillary/Home kit samples due to their instability. If you are undergoing a particular FBC investigation and need these specific markers for your GP, we advise you to come to one of our clinics for a venous sample. We routinely report these markers in venous samples.

Platelets Count (PLT) in home kits is usually reported, providing the blood has no clots.

We are extremely fast, with some results available within hours and others within a working day or less, from the time your sample is in our lab. However, this is not a guarantee and should not be taken as such. This is the guideline turnaround time that can be shorter or longer.

THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED TURNAROUND TIME.

We are extremely proud of our very short turnaround times and very efficient laboratory processes; you will receive your results as soon as they are available and have completed clinical validation.

Whilst we accommodate the shortest time scales, with some results available within hours, for some tests the turnaround time is 1-3 working days.

DR. ADAM STATEN - GP VIEW AND RED FLAG SYMPTOMS

The Full Blood Count is one of the most commonly requested blood tests by doctors because it gives us so much information and is often very important for picking up serious underlying problems. From this test we can tell whether you are anaemic, whether your immune system is healthy, whether you are likely to have adequate levels of iron, B12 and folic acid, and whether your blood is likely to clot properly.

Knowing that your full blood count is normal is useful for almost all medical complaints, but you might particularly be interested in your full blood count if you are feeling tired all the time or worry that you are more susceptible to infections than other people.

Red flag symptoms for the Full Blood Count (FBC/CBC) Blood Test

Even if the blood tests is normal, you should still see your doctor if you have any of the symptoms below.

Unexplained weight loss

Drenching night sweats

Persistent fevers

Abnormal bruising or bleeding

What Does the Full Blood Count Measure?

The full blood count looks at quite a large number of different parameters. It looks at the number of red blood cells you produce which tells us whether you are anaemic and whether you may be losing blood from somewhere. It tells us the number of white blood cells you are producing, and the proportions of the different white blood cells that you have which can give us vital clues about the overall health of your immune system and whether you might be suffering from an infection. And it also counts the number of platelets you produce and so tells us that your blood clotting is healthy. Beyond these counts, we also learn more detailed information about the red blood cells may indicate whether your iron, B12 and folate levels are healthy.

What does an abnormal Full Blood Count Mean?

Because it is a complex test, the full blood count needs to be interpreted in the context of any symptoms you may have. An abnormal full blood count may result from something simple like a viral infection or a lack of iron in your diet, but other abnormalities may represent more sinister underlying diseases such as leukaemia.

Can I see a GP to discuss my Results?

Yes, usually the same or next day.

Our fantastic partner clinical team of consultants and GPs. Once you have your results, you can book an online video consultation to discuss your results.

Our clinical team consists of practicing NHS and private GPs, who work closely with our laboratory and can tell you what your blood test results mean for you. Having an integrated laboratory and GP services makes your health journey seamless and extremely efficient.

This service is not included in the price of the test, it is charged separately, should you wish to book it.

Will I have a general explanation of my results?

Yes, our doctors put a huge amount of effort into your online Health Dashboard, which will have explanations of what each biomarker is, the normal reference ranges and what it means if you are outside of them.

QUICK AND ACCURATE RESULTS DIRECT FROM THE LABORATORY.

We partner with regulated laboratories and accredited clinics that manufacture their own approved home sample collection kits. Your results are looked after by our fantastic clinical governance team and a super-talented biomedical science team.

When you book your test with us - you book directly with the lab. This means accuracy and responsible duty of care, direct access to the provider and extremely fast turnaround times.