UNderstanding and Improving communication
about diagnosis and TEsting in primary care

Blood tests are an important and routine part of healthcare, but they have limitations. Test results do not always give a clear answer about what is happening, and testing can sometimes lead to uncertainty, further tests or unnecessary treatment.

The UNITE study is a 3-year research project exploring how patients and healthcare professionals understand and talk about blood tests, including how they make decisions about testing and interpret results.

The overall aim of this research is to improve how we communicate about blood tests in primary care, particularly when results are uncertain or may lead to further testing or treatment.

The UNITE study is led by Dr Lotte Elton, a GP and PhD researcher at Queen Mary University of London, alongside a research team from Queen Mary University of London and the University of Bristol.