Clinical Laboratory Medicine (Pathology)

Blood Sciences which includes Biochemistry, Haematology and Blood Transfusion has laboratories on both the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General sites. On the Royal Blackburn Hospital site, Blood Sciences is located on level 0 of the main hospital building and at Burnley General close to the Surgical Day Case unit.

Opening Hours

The department provides a full 24/7, routine diagnostic service (including week-ends and all statutory holidays) all samples will be analysed for the common tests as soon as possible on arrival at the Laboratory, irrespective of the time of day or night. Core hours for Blood Sciences are 9am to 5pm. Please note that normally only a limited number of staff members are present outside core hours.

Request Forms and Specimen Containers

To ensure rapid return of results to the originating source, request forms and samples containers must be fully identified (unlabelled samples cannot be accepted; inadequately labelled samples for cross-match or group & save cannot be accepted).

Key request form identifiers:

• Hospital or NHS number mandatory
• Forename and Surname mandatory
• Date of Birth mandatory
• Gender
• Location mandatory
• Consultant
• Clinical Details
• Address where possible
• Requestors name or pager number
• Time & date of collection

Key specimen container identifiers:

• Forename and Surname mandatory
• Date of Birth mandatory
• Time and date of collection

• Confirm details with the patient’s wristband and conduct the entire process at the patient's side.
• For patients admitted through the Accident and Emergency Department, the request form should identify the projected ward/location if this is known.
• If not using ICE, the requesting Medical Officer must sign the form legibly and check that all the details are correct.
• Please do not be tempted to request indiscriminately.

An air-tube system is available for transporting samples to the Laboratory main specimen reception from departments within the Hospital. Do not use for any glass containers.

Airtube Policy

• All samples must be in a sealed specimen bag attached to a completed request form before being placed in the carriers.
• Carriers must contain bubble wrap and be closed securely at both ends. ( Bubble wrap available )
• This system is available for Biochemistry and Haematology and Microbiology samples 24hrs a day 7 days a week. 
• During the normal working day, the current arrangements for delivery by hand should be used for bulky/ heavy samples such as 24 hour urine collections and patient delivery for semen samples for Histology and Histology specimens in general.
• Only one set of Blood Cultures (not glass) should be placed in a carrier at one time.

The following must NOT be sent by air tube:

ANY LEAKING SAMPLE
BLOOD GAS SAMPLES
ITEMS OVER 1.5KG
ANY SHARPS
ANY HISTOLOGY SAMPLES IN FORMALIN 
CYTOLOGY SAMPLES.
CSF Samples
Insulin and C peptide samples for the investigation of hypoglycaemia

• Due to the pressure and vibration in the airtube, it is important to ensure that tops on bottles are tightened correctly in order that samples do not leak.
• It is important that samples are batched where possible to reduce the traffic of carriers in the Pathology Reception.
• With the exception of transfusion ,there is no need to telephone the laboratory for urgent work sent by the pneumatic air tube system

It is the responsibility of wards to ensure that urgent work is delivered promptly and is identified appropriately.

A service operates 24hrs/day, 365 days/year, and all samples will be analysed for the common tests AS SOON AS POSSIBLE on arrival at the Laboratory, irrespective of the time of day.