The trust’s pathology departments operate the following key services for patients

Click on the links below to find out more:

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Pathology is described by the Royal College of Pathologists as the 'science at the heart of modern medicine' and relates to the study and diagnosis of disease.

The trust’s pathology departments provides a range of key services for patients

Pathology at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) is part of the One Dorset Pathology collaboration alongside Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. There are three main laboratory sites across the county with a main processing Hub located at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and two Essential Service Laboratories at Poole Hospital and Dorset County Hospital. At Christchurch Hospital the Dermatology Department operates a Mohs’ service.

 

At the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Pathology is situated in the purpose-built Hub, located behind the Stour Building. Access to the Hub is via Deansleigh Road (See map below) There are six laboratory departments: Cellular Pathology, Clinical Biochemistry, Molecular Pathology, Haematology/Transfusion, Immunology and Microbiology.

At Poole Hospital Pathology is based in the main hospital (Orange Zone) across the ground floor and the first floor. Easiest access is via the North Entrance and then turn left down the first corridor. Specimen Reception is at the end of the corridor. There are four laboratory departments based at Poole: Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology/ Transfusion located on the ground flood and Cellular Pathology and Microbiology on the first floor.

Pathology is committed to providing a high-quality service that is open and accountable and takes into consideration the needs and requirements of its users.

Further details of tests available are found within the individual Pathology speciality section.

Pathology staff does not give Pathology results to patients.

Further information for patients is available on the Trust Internet Site

Clinical Advice

If telephoning or requesting clinical advice please be prepared to leave a direct landline or mobile number and a time when it will be convenient for the Department to return the call. Please the individual Department pages for contact information

Requests for Providing Laboratory Examinations

Each request accepted by the laboratory for examination is considered an agreement. The preferred method of requesting tests is through ICE. If ICE is not available or appropriate, then the laboratory will accept request forms. Each request must have:

• All samples should have at least 3 points of ID for samples from Primary Care and 4 points of ID from samples from UHD and should be traceable to the request.

• Identity and contact information of the requestor

• Test(s) requested.

• Any relevant clinical details

If anything is unclear Pathology will contact the requestor, or their representative to clarify any details.

Specimen packaging and transport requirements are detailed in our Transport of Pathology Specimens Policy

Patient consent for laboratory procedures is inferred when the patient has willingly submitted to the sample collecting procedure. In special cases a further, more detailed explanation is needed before consent is given, and sometimes recorded consent. If obtaining consent is not possible in emergency situations the laboratory will carry out necessary procedures, provided they are in the patient’s best interest. Please refer to the UHD Consent policy for more details.

The laboratory may receive specimens where the sample has been compromised and cannot be examined, for reasons such as:

• Incorrect patient or sample identification

• Sample instability due to, for example, delay in transport

• Incorrect Storage or handling temperature

• Inappropriate containers

• Insufficient sample volume

The laboratory will issue a report containing the details of why the specimen was not examined.

Urgent Specimens

Urgent requests must be telephoned to the Department, marked as urgent on the request form and handed to Pathology staff. Details of the phone/bleep number to return the results must be given at this time.

Pathology is open 24/7. At Poole Hospital, if the main entrance is closed, non-urgent specimens may be dropped off at Specimen Reception.  At the Royal Bournemouth Hospital specimens can be dropped off at the Pathology Hub.

The results will also be available on the Hospital Clinical Viewer as soon as possible.

When things don’t go to plan

We know that we don’t get it right for our patients 100% of the time. If you are not happy with the service that you have received it is much better to tell someone so that we can do something about it. Please contact our Governance and Quality Managers, Sharon Wood and Nathan Bourne if there any concerns.

If patients have concerns and would prefer to speak to someone who has not been involved in their care please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Will the information be kept confidential?

Patient’s treatment involves the activities of a range of medical professionals which means that more people than just your doctor will need to see your medical information.

However, your confidentiality is assured by the Trust’s compliance with the Data Protection Act, Consent Policy and the Trust’s Information Governance Strategy.

Accreditation

Our laboratories are accredited to ISO 15189 – Medical Laboratories. See below for links for each laboratories Schedule of Accreditation issued by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service