Not every symptom needs our most exhaustive panel — but a lot of women land in a middle ground: more than ‘just tired’, not quite sure a single test will catch it, and wanting a genuinely broad check without paying for markers they don't need. The Advanced GP2 (Female) panel is built for exactly that. It covers 49 markers across thyroid, iron, cardiovascular risk, kidney, liver, bone and vitamin D — one level up from our Standard Screen Plus, one step below our most comprehensive GP3 — and is our most frequently booked ‘proper MOT’ for women who want a broad, clinician-reviewed picture without over-testing.
What a broad wellbeing check can catch
The Advanced GP2 (Female) panel is designed around the issues we see most often in women who book a general wellbeing check rather than a symptom-specific test:
- Underlying thyroid problems — subtle enough to cause tiredness, weight changes or low mood without an obvious trigger.
- Iron deficiency — a leading cause of fatigue in women, particularly with heavy or frequent periods.
- Rising cholesterol or blood sugar — often the first sign of longer-term cardiovascular or metabolic risk, picked up years before symptoms.
- Vitamin D deficiency — extremely common in the UK, and linked to fatigue, low mood and aching muscles.
- Early kidney or liver changes — usually silent, and best caught on a routine screen rather than waited out.
When to seek help
These are common, usually gradual changes best picked up on a routine screen — this is not an emergency test. If you have severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, unexplained weight loss, chest pain or breathlessness at rest, seek urgent medical attention instead.
As a rule, seek urgent care for severe, sudden or rapidly worsening symptoms, and book a routine test for milder, longer-standing concerns like the ones above.
What the Advanced GP2 (Female) checks
Rather than testing one thing at a time, the Advanced GP2 (Female) panel screens 49 markers across 10 areas of your health in a single blood draw. Here's what each group can tell you:
Thyroid
This panel checks TSH, free T4, free T3 and thyroid antibodies. An underactive or overactive thyroid can cause tiredness, weight changes, low mood, hair thinning or a fast or irregular heartbeat — often mistaken for stress or "just getting older" — so a clinician can spot dysfunction even before it's obvious from symptoms alone.
Iron status
This panel checks ferritin, serum iron, TIBC, transferrin and transferrin saturation. Low iron is one of the most common, treatable causes of fatigue, breathlessness and poor concentration, often well before a full anaemia develops — a complete iron picture is far more useful than a ferritin test alone.
Heart & cholesterol
This panel checks your full lipid profile plus apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) — advanced markers that refine cardiovascular risk beyond standard cholesterol, building an accurate cardiovascular risk picture. Cholesterol and related lipid markers are among the strongest predictors of long-term heart and stroke risk, and rarely cause symptoms until a problem is advanced.
Blood sugar
This panel checks glucose, HbA1c, insulin and adiponectin, screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes, which can develop silently for years with no obvious symptoms.
Liver function
This panel checks ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin and albumin. Liver enzymes can flag early strain from alcohol, medication, weight gain or fatty liver disease long before any symptoms appear.
Kidney function & salts
This panel checks creatinine, eGFR, cystatin C, sodium, potassium, urea and uric acid. Kidney function can decline silently for years before it's noticed, so these markers give an early warning of reduced kidney function, dehydration or salt imbalances.
Bone & mineral health
This panel checks calcium and phosphate, giving an early picture of bone and mineral health that can also flag problems affecting energy and muscle function.
Vitamins
This panel checks vitamin D and magnesium. Deficiencies here are widespread in the UK and are linked to fatigue, low mood, muscle aches and poor immunity — and are simple to correct once identified.
Full blood count
This panel includes a full blood count — red cells, white cells, platelets and related indices — one of the single most useful all-round checks available, screening for anaemia, infection and abnormalities in your blood.
Inflammation
This panel checks C-reactive protein (CRP), a general marker of inflammation in the body that can point towards infection, a chronic inflammatory condition, or increased cardiovascular risk.
Advanced GP2 (Female) — £239
CQC-regulated · Rated 4.88/5 on Doctify · Open 7 days 8am–8pm · No referral needed
Why the Advanced GP2 (Female) is the right test
The Advanced GP2 (Female) panel sits deliberately between our Standard Screen Plus and our most detailed Advanced GP3. It goes beyond a standard screen by adding thyroid antibodies, a fuller iron panel, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a) and hs-CRP for cardiovascular risk, and cystatin C and uric acid for kidney health — without the reproductive hormone and full vitamin panel that make GP3 our most exhaustive option.
For most women asking “what's a good general check-up that isn't the cheapest option but isn't overkill either?”, this is our answer — and every result comes with a clinician's review, not just a printout of numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between GP2 and GP3 for women?
GP2 covers 49 markers across the key organ systems, cholesterol, iron, thyroid and vitamin D. GP3 goes further with 63 markers, adding a fuller reproductive hormone panel (FSH, LH, oestradiol, testosterone, SHBG, prolactin), B12 and folate, parathyroid hormone, and creatine kinase.
Should I choose this over the Standard Screen Plus?
If you want thyroid antibodies (not just TSH), a fuller iron panel, and more advanced cardiovascular markers like apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a), GP2 gives you meaningfully more depth than Standard Screen Plus for a modest price difference.
Do I need to fast before this blood test?
Yes — because this panel includes glucose and HbA1c, we recommend avoiding food for around 8-10 hours beforehand (water is fine). Our team will confirm exact preparation when you book.
Do I need a GP referral to book this test?
No referral is needed. You can book directly online or by calling 0121 387 3727. Same-week appointments are available 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm.
Can I claim this on private health insurance?
Self-funded blood tests are usually paid for directly rather than through insurance, as most insurers require a referral first. If you would like to use insurance, call us on 0121 387 3727 and our team will advise on the best route for your policy.
Reference ranges vary between laboratories and are influenced by age, sex and other individual factors. This article is for general information only and does not replace a clinical consultation — every result in the Advanced GP2 (Female) panel is reviewed by a clinician before it's released to you. Further reading: Lab Tests Online UK →