Lab tours for young patients launch at Poole Hospital 

11-year old Ollie has become the first child to take part in a Harvey's Lab Tour at Poole Hospital.

The tours are a national initiative from the Institute of Biomedical Scientists, named after a young patient who sought to know more about his hospital treatment. They aim to help children understand the role of biomedical science in their diagnosis and treatment through lab visits and interactive resources.

The team, led by senior biomedical scientist, Stephanie Brolan, welcomed Ollie along with his mum and dad for a visit to Poole’s Pathology Department in July.

Ollie with his mum and dad, and members of Poole's Pathology Team

Ollie’s mum, Hannah, said: “Ollie regularly visits Poole Hospital for blood tests following his liver transplant, which will have taken place 10 years ago this August, at Kings College Hospital.

"The team was able to answer all questions Ollie had prepared, and he really enjoyed the ‘hands on’ parts of the tour such as spinning bloods, testing for acid or alkaloid levels, using the microscope and seeing the different blood groups."

"Hopefully this experience will help him overcome his fears in the future, and the opportunity for these tours will be great for other young patients."

Stephanie said: “It was wonderful to welcome Ollie to Poole, giving us a unique chance to bring patient interactions into the laboratory.

He was able to see how samples arrive within the laboratory and how they are checked for suitability before visiting biochemistry, haematology and blood transfusions. We focused on areas within the laboratory that would have been used when we were caring for Ollie."

"The team and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and want to build on this success so more children can feel connected to their healthcare journey."