You may be asked to collect a urine or stool (poo) sample at home and take it to your GP surgery or hospital outpatient appointment. This page contains instructions for collecting these samples at home.
Stool sample collection
Your doctor/healthcare professional should provide you with a plastic sealable container and explain how to collect the sample.
These are usually clear plastic containers with blue lids and an integral spoon.
Label the container with your name, date of birth, NHS or Hospital number and date of sample collection.
Place something in the toilet to catch the stool such as a clean potty or empty, clean, plastic food container. (Note: you will need to dispose of this after use).
Make sure the sample does not touch the inside of the toilet.
Use the spoon attached to the inside of the lid to place the faeces inside the container to about one third to three quarters full.
Replace the lid and screw securely shut.
Place container in sealed plastic bag and form in the additional pouch, do not put the request form in with sample.
Deliver to GP or laboratory as soon as possible.
Put anything used to collect the sample inside a plastic bag, tie it up and place in the bin for household waste.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water.
Try not to collect urine or toilet water during this process. Stool samples should be delivered to the GP practice or laboratory as soon as possible and should not be stored for any significant amount of time.
Mid-stream urine sample collection
The aim is to obtain a fresh, clean sample which has not been contaminated by organisms from your hands or the skin adjoining the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body).
A mid-stream urine sample means that you don’t collect the first part of the urine that comes out. This reduces the risk of the sample being contaminated.
An early morning sample (i.e. as soon as you wake up) is best, but if that is not possible please take the sample before you start any antibiotics.
After you have taken your sample, return it to your GP practice or the hospital as soon as possible, following the instructions you were given.
If you cannot return it straight away, put the container in a sealed plastic bag and store it in the fridge until you can hand it in.
Use the container provided by your doctor/healthcare professional. This is usually a green container with boric acid preservative powder inside.
If not already completed, label the green urine bottle with your name, NHS or Hospital number, date of birth and date of sample collection.
Wash your hands.
Taking a clean, dry cup or container taking care not to touch the inside, pass urine, the first part of the stream into the pan, then the middle part directly into the container, and the last part into the pan again.
Take the green bottle and remove the stopper.
Insert the aspiration tip into the end of the bottle.
Use the syringe provided and fill up the green bottle to the base line.
Hold the Monovette in a vertical position and withdraw the piston rod into a downward direction until it locks into its base to empty the aspiration tip of any urine.
Remove the tip, break off the piston rod and discard both.
Replace the stopper and place in a sample bag. Do not put the request form in with the sample.
