Please note the changes in testing outcomes for Chlamydia / Gonorrhoea PCR tests relating to the new laboratory platform: Higher failure rate for GC- Chlamydia swabs July 2022 (002).pdf
Information on the laboratory services is available through the main Lothian laboratory website.
Sections of the website particularly relevant to primary care include:
- Which blood tube for which test
- For delayed specimens – sample storage information
- Laboratory advice and updates
- Generic lab issues and GP Order Comms (GPOC) or ICE
Please also see details for Covid-19 testing.
Contacting the laboratories
Please note that the Laboratory office hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday.
Outside these hours there is an on-call service for clinical advice in all disciplines 24/7 and there will also be an on call biomedical scientist in each lab to process samples -contact us via switchboard.
Please see the laboratory contact details (phone and email) for all the different specialties.
Advice about specimens and results
ADD-ON biochemistry tests
In special circumstances the laboratory can add tests onto previously sent samples if the biochemistry lab is called within 3 days (RIE, WGH, SJH numbers). Due to sample stability issues, it may not always be possible for tests to be added on. It involves a lot of work for the laboratory (sample retrieve, re-booking and re-analysis) so we request that this is used sparingly and on the understanding that is not a routine service.
CURRENTLY IT IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TO DO THIS AT THE WGH OR ST JOHNS.
Abnormal results
- Abnormal results will be phoned through to the requesting practice or service in line with the laboratory telephoning criteria
- Please see the haematology guidelines for managing abnormal results
- And the guidance on abnormal liver function tests.
Specimen Collection Advice
- HIGH risk samples – ‘danger of infection’ stickers are no longer required for blood borne viruses – please use for everything else that is high risk.
Please see here for further information on High Risk Samplesopens a new window - Urgent samples
- Put the specimen in its bag in an envelope marked ‘urgent’
- Phone the lab reception to warn they are coming.
- Barcode labels should be placed ‘lengthways’ on the sample tubes and not wrapped horizontally around the tube, so that the scanner can read them. Otherwise, laboratory staff have to enter the details manually, which is slow and work-intensive. It also leads to transcription errors as the writing on the label is tiny.
- Samples should be placed in bags as per the table below:
| | Microbiology | Virology | Haem/Biochem |
| Little BagFor samples from a single patient | Yellow | Blue | Green |
| Big BagOnce samples are in a small bag they should be added to the appropriate big bag | Blue | Blue | Green (or Pink) |
If the patient is being given a sample bottle or pot to fill at home, please ask them to write on the container the date and time the sample was produced. (If this is not done the date of collection may be taken as the day the sample was requested by the clinician. For some samples we have strict time limits for processing leading to sample rejection).
Always check the patient’s telephone number on the system is current and appears on the printed label or form in case we need to contact the out of hours service about a result.
Please provide clinical details with the request where possible to aid results interpretation, especially if there is any possibility of the result being telephoned to the out of hours service.
If the patient does not have a Community Health Index (CHI) number please write this on the form or the laboratories will need to phone for the CHI number. Contact number for CHI queries 0131 242 788.
Urine containers for 24 hour tests can be obtained by contacting the laboratory.
C.M 03-04-23
