Laboratory Medicine
Laboratory Medicine (also known as Pathology) is the study of the nature of disease and its causes, development, processes and consequences. Laboratory Medicine is part of, and provides laboratory services to, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and serves the associated community and primary care providers
Laboratories are situated on both the York and Scarborough hospital sites. The expectation is that users of the service should see no significant difference in the level of service provided irrespective as to whether samples are sent to York or Scarborough for processing. Laboratory Medicine is divided into a number of specialist departments:
- Clinical Biochemistry including Point of Care Testing (POCT)
- Haematology, Blood Transfusion and Immunology
- Microbiology and Serology
- Histology, Non-Gynae Cytology, and the Mortuary
Web Page 1: Reviewed 04/02/2021
General Information
Information for Patients, Hospital Doctors, GPs, Healthcare Professionals and any other party who may wish to use the York & Scarborough Laboratories.
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Biochemistry provides a 24-hour, 7 day per week high quality service to assist in the rapid diagnosis of disease. Testing undertaken includes routine biochemistry, endocrinology, and specific protein analysis. A consultant led advisory service is also in operation. The Clinical Biochemistry department operates on the York and Scarborough sites working in partnership with Hull. We are able to measure over a hundred analytes in our laboratories and we can also arrange for specimens to be sent to other laboratories for measurements of analytes not performed on site.
Point of Care Testing (POCT)
POCT operates as a section of Clinical Biochemistry but takes advice from other departments, as appropriate, to provide a comprehensive POCT service. The POCT team provides training and support for users on the York, Scarborough and Bridlington Hospital sites and also satellite units such as Easingwold and the community. The team covers all POCT, ranging from dipsticks to sophisticated analytical instruments.
Haematology
The Haematology department provides a high quality diagnostic service and is committed to achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards, delivering a 24 hour, 7 day per week comprehensive consultative and diagnostic service throughout the Trust and beyond. Haematology operates on both the York and Scarborough sites.
Blood Transfusion
The Blood Transfusion department provides blood products for use in clinical emergencies and routine procedures over a 24 hour period, 7 days a week. Blood Transfusion Departments operate on both the York and Scarborough sites.
Immunology
Immunology is based solely at the York site. We have a comprehensive repertoire of tests available and we can also arrange for specimens to be sent to other laboratories for measurements not performed at our York or Scarborough sites.
Microbiology and Serology
The department of Microbiology offers a high quality, 24-hour interpretative diagnostic Microbiology service to local hospitals and the community. As well as routine bacteriological culture, the department offers serological testing, liquid mycobacterial culture and rapid molecular detection techniques for the diagnosis of chlamydia. The department works in collaboration with the HPA and regional CCDCs to contribute to epidemiological surveillance and public health medicine. The Microbiology department operates on both the York and Scarborough sites.
Histology
Histology provides a high quality diagnostic pathology service to York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the wider community. Investigations undertaken to achieve this include routine histological techniques and a wide range of special staining methods, while rapid diagnosis is available through the utilisation of frozen section techniques. In Immunohistochemistry, a comprehensive repertoire of antibodies is used to identify tissue antigen sites as an aid to diagnosis, particularly in cancer.
Diagnostic Cytology & Andrology
The Non-Gynae Cytology and Andrology department provide a high quality diagnostic service in both Non-Gynaecological Cytology and Seminal fluid analysis, within York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme samples are now sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead for screening and reporting.
Mortuary
The York Teaching Hospital Mortuary provides a high quality mortuary service to patients who die either in hospital or in the community and to their bereaved family and friends on both the York and Scarborough site. Scarborough Hospital is licensed with the Human Tissue Authority as a satellite location under the York Trust license. The Mortuary service ensures respect, dignity and sensitivity in handling the deceased and in playing a vital role in supporting bereaved families whilst also ensuring strict health and safety guidelines are followed.
