Heart of England Pathology Directorate

The HPA West Midlands Public Health Laboratory (WMPHL) is part of the directorate of pathology at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. It is the largest microbiology laboratory in the West Midlands NHS region and is the regional laboratory of the Health Protection Agency. The department has close ties with the University of Birmingham, including access to facilities, via a number of joint appointments. The laboratory provides a comprehensive microbiological service to the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, over a hundred local, general practices and the States of Guernsey Board of Health, as well as specialist services to other hospitals & Trusts both within the region and across the UK. Public Health services are also provided to a number of Local Authorities. The service embraces all aspects of clinical, public health and academic microbiology and is a key focus for the training of all professions within the speciality of medical microbiology.