Portsmouth Pathology Service Pathology Department Title: Pathology User Handbook Code: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK Version: 8.4 Authorised By: Alex Walster Date of Authorisation: 08-Jun-2021 Location Of Copy: Pathology Webpage Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 Document Status: Authorised Number Of Copies: 1 Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 Authorised on: 08-Jun-2021. Authorised by: Alex Walster. Document Unique Reference: 584-103950610. Due for review on: 08-Jun-2022 Author(s): Alex Walster PORTSMOUTH HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS TRUST PATHOLOGY USER HANDBOOK Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 The contents of this handbook are regularly reviewed and updated. Information regarding the version number and review date can be found in the document footer. The Pathology Handbook may be subject to changes within the stated review date. New versions will be uploaded onto the Pathology webpage as necessary; therefore printed copies may become obsolete at any time. Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 Authorised on: 08-Jun-2021. Authorised by: Alex Walster. Document Unique Reference: 584-103950610. Due for review on: 08-Jun-2022 Author(s): Alex Walster Page 1 of 86 Contents USEFUL NUMBERS .................................................................................................. 4 OUR LABORATORIES .............................................................................................. 5 KEY PERSONNEL ..................................................................................................... 6 FOREWORD .............................................................................................................. 8 REQUEST FORMS FOR PATHOLOGY .................................................................... 9 SPECIMENS FOR PATHOLOGY .............................................................................. 9 PATHOLOGY TESTS AND REFERENCE RANGES ............................................... 10 PATHOLOGY REPORTS ......................................................................................... 11 AVAILABILITY OF PATHOLOGY RESULTS/REPORTS TO PATIENTS ................ 11 INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE REFERRED FOR TESTING ................................... 11 SPECIMEN PACKAGING, TRANSPORT AND HAZARDOUS SAMPLES .............. 11 A QUALITY SERVICE .............................................................................................. 12 UNCERTAINTY OF MEASUREMENT ..................................................................... 13 PATHOLOGY INVESTIGATIONS ON MEMBERS OF STAFF ................................ 14 PATIENT CONSENT ................................................................................................ 15 CONFIDENTIALITY AND THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION .... 15 COMPLAINTS .......................................................................................................... 16 COMPLIMENTS ....................................................................................................... 16 THE BLOOD SCIENCES DEPARTMENT ................................................................ 17 Contact Information ........................................................................................... 17 Accreditation Status .......................................................................................... 18 Senior Clinical Staff ........................................................................................... 19 The Service ....................................................................................................... 20 Urgent Requests ............................................................................................... 21 Abnormal results that require urgent attention .................................................. 21 Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 Additional/Add-on tests ..................................................................................... 21 Guidelines for Storage of Blood Samples for Biochemistry and Haematology in General Practice ............................................................................................... 22 Clinical Biochemistry Tests and Reference Ranges .......................................... 22 Blood Tube Guide ............................................................................................. 22 Protocols for commonly performed dynamic function tests ............................... 23 Clinical Immunology .......................................................................................... 28 Clinical Flow Cytometry ..................................................................................... 38 Haematology ..................................................................................................... 39 Blood Transfusion ............................................................................................. 41 THE CANCER LABORATORY ................................................................................ 43 The Service ....................................................................................................... 44 Services provided by the department ................................................................ 44 Request form..................................................................................................... 44 Sample Transport .............................................................................................. 44 Pathology User Handbook - Version: 8.4. Index: LI-PATH-HANDBOOK. Printed: 08-Jun-2021 16:09 Authorised on: 08-Jun-2021. Authorised by: Alex Walster. Document Unique Reference: 584-103950610. Due for review on: 08-Jun-2022 Author(s): Alex Walster Page 2 of 86 Consent ............................................................................................................. 45 Sample Volumes ............................................................................................... 45 Reference Ranges ............................................................................................ 45 Limitations of the Tests ..................................................................................... 45 High Risk Specimens ........................................................................................ 45 CYTOLOGY DEPARTMENT .................................................................................... 46 Contact Information ........................................................................................... 47 The Service ....................................................................................................... 47 Andrology .......................................................................................................... 53 HISTOPATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT ...................................................................... 54 Senior Staff Members ....................................................................................... 55 Availability ......................................................................................................... 56 The Service ....................................................................................................... 57 Specimen Labelling & Request Forms .............................................................. 58 Specimen Containers ........................................................................................ 58 High Risk Specimens ........................................................................................ 59 Fresh Specimens Unfixed ................................................................................. 59 Special Fixation ................................................................................................. 59 Frozen Sections ................................................................................................ 60 Urgent Requests and Cancer Wait Specimens (CWT) ..................................... 60 Transport / Delivery ........................................................................................... 60 Referral Laboratories ........................................................................................ 60 The Future ........................................................................................................ 61 MORTUARY SERVICES .......................................................................................... 62 Issuing a Death Certificate ................................................................................ 63 Value of a Post Mortem ..................................................................................... 63 Asking for Permission for a Post Mortem (consented Post Mortem) ................. 64 Important information regarding Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) 64 DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY..................................................... 66 Senior clinical staff in Clinical Microbiology ....................................................... 67 Laboratory opening hours: ................................................................................ 67 The Service ....................................................................................................... 67 Request Forms.................................................................................................