Andrology (Semen Analysis)

The Andrology Laboratory Service is available for post-vasectomy and fertility analysis for patients from the York, Scarborough and Bridlington area.

Patients must be provided with a request form before they book their appointment. Appointment bookings must be made whether the patient intends to drop the sample off or produce it on site in the room provided. The booking website is www.york.nhs.uk/andrology.

Please also provide a toxicity tested pot and ensure patients understand the sample-production information. Information sheets can be printed from the booking website. Further information and FAQs are also on the website.

Samples will be rejected if an appointment has not been booked or they do not meet the acceptance criteria.

First post-vasectomy samples may be dropped at Scarborough Hospital Specimen Reception for the transport to York, but these must also be pre-booked.

If you have any questions/problems, please call us on 01904 726258.

Diagnostic Cytology

Contacts for the Diagnostic Cytology Service:

For general result and specimen enquiries, clinical advice and key contact details for the Diagnostic Cytology service (Non-Gynae): Click Here

NHSCSP Cervical Cytology samples have been dealt with in Gateshead since December 2019. Advice for requesters, please Click Here

Request forms

Please use the purple topped histology/cytology request form for all Diagnostic Cytology requests, ensuring it is fully and legibly completed with relevant clinical details. Please do not seal the request form in the bag with the sample.

Sample types and sample containers

Diagnostic Cytology Specimen Collection Information: Click Here

Please ensure Diagnostic Cytology are not sent in the pod system.

Samples classified as high-risk.

Double bag any high-risk specimens (including pleural fluids) and do not seal the request form in the bag with the sample. High risk samples will be prepared in the Containment Level 3 facility and must not have the request form sealed within the bag.

Out of Hours Samples

The Diagnostic Cytology Laboratory at York Hospital is open 8:30-17:00 weekdays (excluding bank holidays). Please ensure samples are delivered within these core hours. It is important that unfixed cytology samples are refrigerated if there is to be any delay in processing. At York Hospital, if samples must be delivered outside core hours, please request portering staff place samples in the red box labelled ‘Cytology’ in the walk-in fridge on the 1st floor. For ‘out of hours’ samples at Scarborough hospital, ask laboratory staff to refrigerate the sample when delivered.  

Turnaround Times for Diagnostic Cytology reports

The following times given are the minimum time taken to process and produce a typed report. Inquiries regarding reports should not be made in advance of the minimum time. If an urgent report is required, this should be clearly indicated on the request form and a telephone or bleep number should be given.

As per the Royal College of Pathologists Publication – Key Performance Indicators in Pathology:

80% expected within 7 calendar days from collection date and 90% expected within 10 calendar days from collection date.

Results should be electronically available after authorisation by Pathologist.

Factors Affecting Turnaround Times

The nature of Cellular Pathology as a whole means it is difficult to accurately specify turnaround times for individual cases as these depend upon several variables. These include specimen type; the complexity of the case; and additional investigations/ further specialist tests that may be required. 

Exceptions to Normal Turnaround Times

• Cases that require a second opinion outside of the department.
• Complex cases that require further tests to be performed outside of the department/ more clinical information.

Samples referred to other laboratories.

• Diagnostic Cytology samples with clinical information suggestive of haematological malignancy may require further investigations which not in our laboratories repertoire. These will be forwarded where appropriate to the Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service (HMDS) at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
• Please note HMDS investigations on fresh specimens should be performed within 4 hoursif flow cytometry or RNA extraction is required.  
• If the clinician would like to send the sample to HMDS via Laboratory Medicine, there are 2 transport runs to Leeds from York Hospital each day at 13:30 and 16:00. Please ring York Cytology ext 6258 to inform the lab that a sample for HMDS is being taken and where possible aim to deliver the sample to the lab at least 30 minutes before the transport time. This will enable the sample to be appropriately labelled, packaged and tracked.
• For samples taken at Scarborough Hospital, please ring the Scarborough lab on 771 2625. The transport to Leeds from Scarborough is at 15:00.
• The final report will be sent to the requesting clinician and a copy sent to our requesting pathologist. The turnaround times from HMDS, please check the current guidance on their user guide, Laboratory-User-Guide-v4.3.pdf (hmds.info).
• If the clinician only requires HMDS investigations and a report via Laboratory Medicine is not required, the sample should be packaged up with a completed HMDS request form (see link) to be sent direct to HMDS using a taxi.

http://hmds.info/diagnostic-service/how-to-send-us-a-specimen

Web page 50 last updated: February 2024