Pathology services (including Microbiology and Haematology)

If you’re a clinician/healthcare professional looking for guidance on requesting specific tests and instructions on how to send for testing, please visit our pathology for healthcare professionals page.

The blood transfusion department provides a full diagnostic service to Mid Essex. They have a ISO 15189 accreditation with UKAS and is licensed by the MHRA. The department also maintains IBMS training status for biomedical scientists.

What we do

The blood transfusion department provides a service for provision of blood components and products to patients within Broomfield Hospital as well as those in satellite hospitals. The department also processes blood grouping and antibody screening tests for outpatients, inpatients and antenatal patients.

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is in D228 and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm, with an out of hours service running outside of these times.

The cellular pathology department provides a diagnostic service to Mid Essex looking at tissue samples playing an important role in the diagnosis of many diseases. By looking at the morphology of cells, it’s possible to determine if a patient has a disease, inflammation, a cancer or a non-cancerous growth.

What we do

Tissue biopsies from any site of the body or the surgical removal of a whole organ are processed in the laboratory, including embedding, cutting and staining. Diagnosis can be made from a single tissue section, but often additional special stains or immunocytochemistry, as deemed appropriate by a pathologist, will supplement this. 

Cellular pathology works closely with the mortuary department to support post-mortem examinations.

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is located in a standalone building next to car park one and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm.

The clinical biochemistry department provides a full on-site diagnostic service to Mid Essex which includes general screening for kidney, liver, bone, cardiac and other disease groups using highly automated analytical platforms. The department also provides Down’s, Edward’s and Patau’s screening provided to all NHS hospital Trusts in Essex. 

Some tests need specific equipment and expert staff which are not available at Broomfield and are sent to other laboratories across the UK.  Your healthcare provider will be aware of the tests that are sent to other laboratories.

We have an ISO 15189 accreditation with UKAS and maintain an IBMS training status for biomedical scientists.

Understanding blood

Blood is made up of four main components; these are plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. 

Plasma is referred to as the liquid part of blood and is a yellowish fluid. It’s mainly water, but it also contains proteins, glucose, hormones, waste products and many other markers that will help your doctor to manage your medical care. The plasma may also contain chemicals that are not naturally present such as paracetamol or antibiotics.

Example of a profile

Although the tests the laboratory offers can be requested as a single test, most doctors will ask for a number of tests (or profile), which tell them more about a specific condition and/or within a specific area of the body.

The list below shows an overview of the most frequently requested tests and why:

• Renal profile (Sodium, potassium, urea, and creatinine) - to evaluate the health and functionality of your kidneys. They assess how well your kidneys remove waste products from your blood.
• Liver profile (Total bilirubin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST) - to evaluate how well your liver is functioning. These markers are produced by the liver and the test will tell your doctor whether there is any damage or inflammation to the liver.
• Bone profile (Calcium, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, phosphate) - a test to assess bone health and metabolism. This test helps to diagnose bone disorders such as osteoporosis.
• Lipid profile (Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL) - this combined test allows your doctor to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Thyroid function test (TFT) – a combined test to evaluate the functioning of the thyroid gland.
• CRP (C-reactive protein) – a marker made by the liver and is released in response to inflammation.

This does not replace the guidance and support you receive by your doctor.

You may also be asked to provide a urine or faecal sample to biochemistry. 

• Urine samples – will contain specific substances and the results of these tests allow your doctor to assess your overall health, as well as specific conditions affecting your liver and kidneys.
• Faecal test – the main test that is performed in biochemistry is called the Faecal Immunochemical test (FIT) and is a test to detect hidden haemoglobin (blood) in faeces. The presence of blood can indicate bleeding within the intestinal tract and aid in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. A FIT test is used to screen for bowel cancer in people aged 54 to 74.  A collection kit is sent to your home and, after collection, this is returned to the laboratory in the post and your results are sent directly back to you and your GP. This test is also available to patients outside of these ages as recommended by your healthcare provider.

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is in D228 and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm, with an out of hours service running outside of these times.

Haematology provides a full screening and diagnostic service using a range of state-of-the art technologies and manual laboratory procedures. The laboratory provides full blood count investigations, blood cell morphology and haemoglobinopathy assessment.

We have an ISO 15189 accreditation with UKAS and maintain an IBMS training status for biomedical scientists.

What we do

Haematology performs full blood counts and secondary testing to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders. Our haematology laboratory also offer additional tests to identify specific conditions, such as malaria screening, infectious mononucleosis and reviewing blood film morphology.

Our specialist haematology laboratory offers screening tests to identify disorders of haemoglobin production, such as sickle-cell disease and thalassemia. The laboratory also takes part in the NHS antenatal screening programme.

The coagulation laboratory performs clotting screens for pre-operative and routine cases. Coagulation can provide tests for prognostic markers of deep vein thrombosis and the controlling of anticoagulant therapy.

The haematology department offer a variety of different tests which are processed at the laboratory on-site.  Some tests need the use of specific equipment and expert staff which are not available at Broomfield and are sent to other laboratories across the UK.  Your healthcare provider will be aware of the tests that are sent to other laboratories.

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is in D228 and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm, with an out of hours service running outside of these times.

View accessibility information about this area on the AccessAble website at  https://www.accessable.co.uk/mid-and-south-essex-nhs-foundation-trust/broomfield-hospital/access-guides/c452-haematology. 

The immunology department are a specialised department that diagnose and monitor disease associated with the immune system.

We have an ISO 15189 accreditation with UKAS and maintain an IBMS training status for biomedical scientists.

What we do

A serum sample is needed to diagnose disease such as coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). Cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) samples can also be used for the diagnosis of neurological disorders. Allergy testing is also performed by the department.

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is in D228 and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm

The microbiology service is a comprehensive, clinically led service provided for Bacteriology, Virology (Serology), Molecular Detection (PCR), Mycology and Parasitology. Clinical advice is also available for Infection Prevention and Control.

We have an ISO 15189 accreditation with UKAS and maintain an IBMS training status for biomedical scientists.

What we do

The microbiology department is a laboratory dedicated to culturing, examining and identifying microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and yeasts in a variety of different sample types. Samples sent to microbiology include faeces, urine, blood, wound swabs and sputum, so that the presence of normal microorganisms and those causing illness can be identified. 

Once the test has been conducted and the bacteria infection is identified, we will provide your doctor with the correct antibiotic to treat it. 

The department also specialises in detecting viruses within the serum of blood, for example rubella, measles, HIV, syphilis, Covid-19, chickenpox. 

Laboratory opening hours and location

The laboratory is in D228 and is open for routine work Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm, with an out of hours service running outside of these times.

The mortuary cares for many patients and their families each year. Post-mortem examinations are performed in the department on behalf of H.M. Coroner and by request of hospital medical staff.

The departments perform approximately 1,650 post-mortems and care for on average over 7,000 deceased each year.

One of the primary roles of the mortuary is to care for the bereaved. Services such as timely and correct completion of legal documentation and facilitating the collection of the deceased by funeral directors form part of this care.

Mortuary staff are experts in bereavement issues and provide support and advice to external agencies like the police as well as NHS staff and the bereaved.

For visiting information, please see our Bereavement page. 

Our laboratory will only perform the tests your doctor has asked for to support the management of your care.

You may be provided with a blood request form which you should bring with you to your blood test appointment. If you are not provided with a form then this is because it has been requested electronically.

When you come to your phlebotomy appointment, your name and date of birth will be matched with a digital request to check before your bloods are allowed to be taken.

The volume of blood taken will depend on the number and variety of tests your doctor has asked you to have.  Each department will have a separate blood sample.

A preservative is used in blood sample tubes to make sure that the blood does not deteriorate over time and will give an inaccurate result. Different laboratories use different preservatives. Different sample types need different preservatives too.

Occasionally you may be asked to provide a urine, faecal or sputum test.

These tests are transported from your GP practice to our pathology labs at specific collection times for testing.

If you miss these designated times, or if the test is urgent or you are attending clinic at Broomfield Hospital, you may be asked to take your sample directly to Pathology in D228. View accessibility information about this area on the AccessAble website at https://www.accessable.co.uk/mid-and-south-essex-nhs-foundation-trust/broomfield-hospital/access-guides/d228-pathology. 

Follow the on-site signage and drop off your sample in the specimen box at reception.

Please make sure your samples are labelled with your full name, date of birth and hospital number if known. A request form must accompany the sample because without the form we will not be able to identify what test has been requested.

A member of staff will be available at the desk if needed.

Your consent is needed for our laboratories to test the samples you have provided to your GP, hospital or when you attend an appointment at phlebotomy to provide a blood sample. 

Occasionally you may be asked to go for more tests but this will only happen when further investigation is needed

It’s the responsibility of your healthcare provider to explain to you what tests they need you to have and why.

Automatic consent

When you give a blood sample at a phlebotomy clinic or take a urine, faecal or sputum sample to the laboratory or GP, consent to have these tested in the laboratory is assumed.

Informed consent

There are some tests that will not be processed unless you have provided your consent. These tests may have a significant impact on how your treatment and care is managed after receiving the result.

Informed consent is needed for genetic testing, for example testing pregnant women and birthing people for Down's syndrome. 

All blood samples are labelled by the phlebotomist with your full name, date of birth, hospital or NHS number and the date the sample was taken.  If you have been asked to collect a urine or faecal sample from home, please make sure that the collection bottle is also labelled with your full name and date of birth.  Unlabelled samples or samples that do not match the details on the request form will not be processed and you will be asked to repeat the sample.

Some samples must arrive in the laboratory for processing within a specific time frame to make sure the quality of the sample is good enough to return a result. If a sample has arrived after the specific time, the test will not be performed and you will be asked to repeat the sample.

All phlebotomists are fully trained to take your blood. The method and technique they follow helps make sure that the correct volume of blood is taken, in the correct way, to ensure an accurate result.  If a patient is difficult to bleed because of health reasons, age or dehydration, the technique they use may be difficult and can occasionally affect the quality or quantity of the blood sample. If this happens you may be asked to repeat the sample.

If the test requires you to not eat or drink before your test (a fasting test), and you have eaten or drunk fluids other than water, the test requested may not be performed and you will be asked to repeat the sample.

All samples sent to the laboratory are handled with care by professionally trained staff.

All samples are stored in a way to prevent damage, loss, or deterioration to ensure the integrity of the sample type. All laboratory staff follow strict procedures to make sure that samples are stored at the correct temperature, away from light (when necessary), in the correct preservative (to prevent deterioration) and for the correct length of time.

Samples are not discarded until all tests have been made available to your GP or other healthcare provider. 

There are some legal regulations surrounding the length of time some sample types are required to be stored for, procedures for these are available upon request.

All request forms are securely stored electronically and paper copies are discarded in confidential waste bin to keep sensitive information safe.  

We strive to provide a quality service to our users and patients.

Your opinion matters to us, we welcome any feedback on the service you have received and encourage suggestions to help pathology and phlebotomy to constantly improve our service to you and your doctor.

You can complete a short survey when visiting one of our clinics or you can complete an online one by visiting https://forms.office.com/e/yx3xnXpmf3.

All responses are treated anonymously but the results of the survey will be shared with pathology management to support changes.

Compliments

If you feel the service you have been provided exceeds your expectations and you have a compliment to a specific department, please tell us! You can send us your feedback by visiting our PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) page.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from us, please initially speak with your doctor or healthcare provider. In the unlikely event that your concern or complaint cannot be resolved, please contact the complaints service for Broomfield Hospital – their details can be found by visiting our How to make a complaint page.

All complaints are taken seriously and responded to as per our Trust policy.

As the pathology service at Broomfield Hospital, part of the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust we are committed to providing a high quality responsive analytical, diagnostic and advisory service to support medical and associated professions.

We will do this by providing exceptional care to patients through a proactive approach to service provision and commitment to continual improvement, whilst taking into consideration the needs and requirements of our patients and users with an aim to exceed their expectations.