Two names that sound almost the same, two panels that overlap a great deal: the General Health Profile and the Premier General Health Profile are easy to confuse. Both are general blood tests for adults, both cover cholesterol, blood sugar, liver and kidneys, and both are in the BPR catalogue. The difference comes down to one block of markers and to how the sample is collected. This guide explains both.
What both General Health blood tests cover
The two panels share a common core:
- a cholesterol profile: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio;
- HbA1c, a marker of average blood sugar;
- liver markers: ALT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and albumin;
- kidney markers: urea, creatinine and eGFR;
- calcium, adjusted calcium, iron and urate (uric acid).
The NHS notes that high cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms and that a blood test is the only way to find out, which is one reason a cholesterol profile sits at the centre of both panels.
General Health Profile: 19 markers
The General Health Profile is the core on its own, with 19 markers in the LML list (including non-HDL cholesterol). Its main practical advantage is flexibility: the LML states that it can be done with a finger-prick home kit or with a sample from a vein.
Finger-prick sampling has a growing evidence base. A review on remote HbA1c testing describes capillary microsampling as convenient and patient-centred, allowing people to collect a sample at home and post it to the laboratory, while noting that collection conditions and sample stability need attention (Verougstraete et al., 2024). In practice, that means following the kit instructions carefully and posting the sample as directed.
Premier General Health Profile: 34 markers
The Premier General Health Profile adds, in the LML list:
- a full blood count: haemoglobin, haematocrit, red cell count and indices, white cell count, platelet count and mean platelet volume;
- a fuller iron picture, with transferrin saturation and iron-binding capacity;
- creatine kinase, which the LML links to muscle health;
- AST, globulin and total protein.
The full blood count is what changes the collection. The LML states that because of it, this panel needs a sample from a vein. A blood count is also sensitive to delays: a study on sample handling found that storage time was the main factor affecting blood count accuracy, with white cell and platelet counts falling within 24 hours of storage (Al-Najdawi et al., 2025).
How to choose
- You want a broad general picture and prefer to collect at home: the General Health Profile.
- You also want a blood count, for example because of tiredness, heavy periods or a previous low haemoglobin: the Premier General Health Profile.
- You train a lot: creatine kinase and the fuller iron picture in the Premier panel may be relevant.
Neither panel includes ferritin, thyroid or vitamins. If those are what you want to know, the Well Man and Well Woman panels in our catalogue cover them, or they can be ordered as separate tests.
