Aftercare advice

After blood has been taken, there will be a small hole in the wall of your vein. A small dressing will be applied to the puncture site. The dressing should remain in place for at least 2 hours.

To minimise your risk of continued bleeding and bruising, please follow these instructions:

• Continue to apply pressure for a minimum of 5 minutes—if you don’t apply enough pressure, you may see some bruising.
• Leave the dressing on for 30 minutes after your blood test.
• Do not lift or carry anything heavy for at least 1 hour, including handbags and gym bags.

If you are concerned about your puncture site, contact a collection centre for advice.