News & updates 2018

24 December 2018

Changes at referral lab to thyroid receptor antibody units and ranges from week commencing 17th Dec 2018.

_{revision 2018.67}

Bleeding time test no longer available.

_{revision 2018.66}

18 December 2018

Amendment to turnaround time for IgE.

_{revision 2018.65}

17 December 2018

Citrate (urine) no longer being done in-house.

_{revision 2018.64}

12 December 2018

Amendment of sweat testing turnaround time, and addition of request to inform laboratory in advance on ext 4151, and not to send samples on Friday afternoons.

_{revision 2018.63}

Amendment to fructosamine reference range.

_{revision 2018.62}

11 December 2018

Addition of NICE and PHE recommended referral value for PSA.

_{revision 2018.61}

Addition of information on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing and referral laboratories to content on cervical samples (Cytopathology).

_{revision 2018.60}

10 December 2018

Delays to Procollagen III testing.

Due to manufacturing difficulties, the referral laboratory's diagnostics supplier is currently unable to supply P3NP reagents to any laboratory globally.

The P3NP service has therefore been suspended until the reagent supply is restored, which is estimated to be mid-January 2019.

Samples will be stabilised and stored until reagent becomes available, and the referral laboratory are expecting to clear the backlog of samples within two weeks of the reagents being received.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused.

_{revision 2018.59}

3 December 2018

Update to advice on sample timing for theophylline.

_{revision 2018.58}

Testing for the CALR exon 9 mutation is being done in-house from 3.12.2018.

_{revision 2018.57}

28 November 2018

New reference ranges and units for dihydrotestosterone following change of provider at referral laboratory.

_{revision 2018.56}

27 November 2018

Updated content on Fabry screen for procedures and reference ranges at referral laboratory.

_{revision 2018.55}

23 November 2018

More Haematology updates including fibrinogen information moving to coagulation screen

_{revision 2018.54}

18 November 2018

Update of Haematology and Transfusion laboratory information.

_{revision 2018.53}

New adult reference ranges for CD4/8 counts (T Lymphocyte subsets) and lymphocyte subsets (B, T, NK cell counts)

_{revision 2018.52}

31 October 2018

New revision of Biochemistry telephoning limits (addition of ciclosporin).

_{revision 2018.51}

Update to turnaround times for G6PD screen and plasma viscosity

_{revision 2018.50}

Addition to Chain of Custody information including link to form for non-RSCH users.

_{revision 2018.049}

24 October 2018

New revision of form for supplementary requests to Biochemistry and Haematology.

_{revision 2018.048}

Amendment to haptoglobin reference range.

_{revision 2018.047}

2 October 2018

Change to sample requirements for thrombophilia screen and Lupus anticoagulant - samples must be analysed or processed in the laboratory within 2 hours of venepuncture. Ideally patients should attend phlebotomy at the hospital to facilitate this.

Update of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia test.

_{revision 2018.046}

25 September 2018

_{revision 2018.045}

17 September 2018

_{revision 2018.044}

Update to Toxicology content: screening for drug use, investigating acute overdose, general information on drug testing.

_{revision 2018.043}

5 September 2018

Dr Monika Kohli is the new Consultant Chemical Pathologist in Biochemistry.

_{revision 2018.042}

30 August 2018

Update to turnaround times for sickle cell screen.

Potential interference from rabbit antibodies in oestradiol.

14 August 2018

1 August 2018

31 July 2018

23 July 2018

3 July 2018

26 June 2018

Change of referral laboratory for G6PD screen.

25 June 2018

New BSUH Chain of Evidence Form for Hospital Patients and instructions - click here.

12 June 2018

Genetic testing referred through Biochemistry will no longer require written evidence of consent to be provided with the request. In submitting samples for testing we presume that the clinician who has sent the sample has obtained valid consent.

It is the responsibility of the requesting clinician to ensure appropriate consent has been obtained and documented.

_{Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Pathologists and British Society for Human Genetics.  Consent and confidentiality in clinical genetic practice: guidance on genetic testing and sharing genetic information , 2nd edn. Report of the Joint Committee on Medical Genetics. London: RCP, RCPath, 2011.}

(BSUH consent form can be downloaded here).

11 June 2018

Methaemalbumin no longer available.

6 June 2018

Adrenal cortex antibody now being referred to external laboratory

4 June 2018

New reference range for Isoniazid.

23 May 2018

New revision of instructions for collecting saliva for cortisol.

15 May 2018

Please contact Coagulation department (or on call biomedical scientist in Haematology if out of hours) before sending samples for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia test.

Update/clarification of sample requirements for porphyrins (blood, plasma, urine)

9 May 2018

"Clinical Biochemistry" replaced by "Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services" for samples referred to Frimley Park Hospital.

Faecal occult blood is being done in-house from 26/3/18.

Procollagen III ranges have been changed from 12/3/18 due to new method at referral laboratory - see revision 2018.009 below.

Cervical samples: content updated.

New revision of Actions For Clinical Teams and the Pathology Laboratory in the Investigation of Ebola (and other Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers) - see microbiology specimens and requests.

Skin antibody is now being referred to an external laboratory.

Paediatric profiles added to index pages: metabolic profile, hypoglycaemia, normoglycaemic ketoacidosis, hyperammonaemia, conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, cardiomyopathy, ambiguous genitalia, developmental delay, fits and seizures.