General Information
About the Dorset County Hospital Pathology Service
- Laboratory Opening Hours
- Accreditation status
- Complete a Request Form
- Specimen Transport
- Safety when collecting samples
Due to site maintenance the "Test Search" facility has been temporarily removed. Should you need help regarding the tube types or test information please contact the enquiry line 01305 254331.
The Pathology department aims to provide a high quality pathology service to acute hospitals, community hospitals and General Practitioners in West Dorset and adjoining areas. The department has modern facilities, opened in 1987, at the Dorset County Hospital site and employs medical, scientific and clerical staff.
The departments within Pathology are:
Clinical Pathology (Biochemistry, Haematology and Hospital Transfusion),
Histopathology (Histology, Non-gynae Cytology)
Microbiology (Bacteriology, Viral and Bacterial Serology)
Each laboratory is headed by medically qualified consultants who are available for advice and help with patient investigations, interpretation of results and discussion of clinical problems. The laboratories are staffed by qualified Biomedical Scientists (BMS) supported by Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLA).
Throughout the department the laboratories are committed to providing a rapid, reliable and, above all, quality service to the clinicians and their patients. To this end the laboratories participate in a variety of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes to monitor their performance against other hospital departments. The department is accredited through the Clinical Pathologies Accreditation scheme (CPA) and for the training of Biomedical Scientists (BMS) by the Health Professions Council (HPC).
The laboratories share a fully computerised result storage and reporting system which can be accessed from terminals in hospitals throughout West Dorset. Many GP surgeries and hospital ward areas can also make electronic requests and receive results through software linked to the system.
Laboratory Opening Hours
Pathology Specimen Reception is open 08:00 - 21:00 7 days a week
Clinical Pathology (Biochemistry, Haematology and Hospital Transfusion)
The Clinical Pathology Laboratory is staffed 24hr each day, however for significant periods (23:00 - 01:45)
Mon - Fri and 21:00 - 08:45 Sat + Sun + BH). There is just one Biomedical Scientist in the department. As they cover all the emergency and urgent work across Chemistry, Haematology and Blood Transfusion, please be aware that non-urgent tests will not be analysed during this period.
Histology
Opening hours are 07:00 - 18:00 Monday - Friday
There is no weekend or on-call service provided
Microbiology
Opening hours 08:00 - 17:15 Monday - Friday
08:00 - 12:00 Saturdays
Outside these hours an on-call service is provided contact the duty Biomedical Scientist or Consultants via switchboard for more information visit the Microbiology page.
Microbiology (Bacteriology, Viral and Bacterial Serology)
DEPARTMENT ACCREDITATION STATUS
All departments participate in peer review and are assessed by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA)(UK) Ltd which reflects the high standards of service offered by the department
Clinical Pathology (Biochemistry/Haematology
Conditional
Histopathology
Accredited
Microbiology
Conditional
The departments fully participate in National External Quality Assurance Schemes.
How to complete a request form
A hand-written, printed or ICE request form must accompany all specimens sent to the laboratory. It should clearly state the following information:
- patient name and if possible an address
- unit number/NHS number
- date of birth
- sex
- ward/GP name or code/address for report/bleep number
- type of specimen
- date and time specimen taken
- tests required
- all relevant clinical details including any antibiotic treatment (recent, current and intended) and foreign travel
- risk status if applicable* SEE High Risk Specimen section below.
- date of onset and duration of illness, particularly for serology
- in the case of antibiotic assays, date and time of last dose of antibiotic and time blood was collected.
- specify anatomical site from which "wound" specimens were taken
All samples are treated as high risk (under universal precautions) however, best practice dictates that samples from patient groups or disease processes listed below, should have their ‘high risk’ status noted on the request form.
This is best done by giving full medical history.
See information from Health and Safety Excutive (HSE) and Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP).
HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/infection.htm
http://www.dh.gov.uk/ab/ACDP/index.htm
High risk samples are defined as coming from the following groups: Those known to be Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C positive or HIV antibody positive. Those whose HIV or Hepatitis B status is unknown but who have evidence of AIDS or HIV disease or who are jaundiced.
- Those with known or suspected CJD.
- Those with known or suspected typhoid fever.
- Faeces from patients with known or suspected typhoid, E coli 0157, dysentery.
- Sputum or bronchial washing/lavage from suspected or known TB.
- Pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) – if patient has been abroad
- Any suspicion of a blood-borne virus
- Suspected diphtheria
- Suspected meningococcal meningitis
- Specimen Transport
Specimen Transport
Specimens should be placed in the appropriate container and must be securely fastened.
This must be placed in a clear plastic bag and sealed.
PLACE REQUEST FORM IN THE POCKET - NOT IN THE BAG WITH THE SAMPLE
- If the specimen is to be posted the packaging MUST comply with UN3733 packaging regulations and postal regulations.
- If the vacuum transport system is used see the Intranet for detailed instructions.
- Porters should be called for samples that cannot be transported through the vacuum system, if the system is not working or the location does not have a carrier station.
- If the vehicle transport system (brake) is being used any sample must be appropriately packaged in UN3733 compliant packaging for safe transportation.
Samples that MUST NOT be sent via the vacuum system are:
-
CSFs
-
Large volume liquids e.g. 250ml urine containers for TB
Specimens may not be suitable for testing if they are so inadequately labelled that the patient's identification is in doubt, or if they have leaked or been contaminated. In these circumstances every effort is made to inform the requesting doctor first.
Safety when collecting samples
Great care must be taken in obtaining any specimens. Equipment such as needles and blades must be immediately disposed of safely in approved "sharps" boxes.
Should a spillage of blood, fluids or tissues, or of other specimens, occur, this should be made safe and disposed of, no matter what the risk status of the patient.
Specimens should be transported to the laboratory as rapidly as possible after collection to allow for the most accurant interpretation of results.
Tuesday, 04 October 2011 14:15 | Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 15:10 | 
| 
| 