- BAL
- Well-taken sputum samples
- Nose & throat swabs
- Blood in EDTA
As part of our continual process of service improvement, this May has seen the introduction of a fully automated enzyme immunoassay system, in microbiology, for the detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in faecal samples. This replaces the painstaking, traditional microscopic method, giving greater sensitivity and specificity of results as well as a shorter turnaround time. It has the added benefit of minimising staff handling of samples, so improving laboratory safety. There will be no change in the appearance of the laboratory reports to our clients, but the quality & consistency of results will be significantly improved.
The Department of Sexual Medicine (DOSM) offer an HIV Point of Care testing service particularly to high risk group patients. The Inverness Medical Determine® testing kit is used and this detects antibodies to HIV 1/2. It is currently offered on 3 sites: Hawthorn House at Heartlands Hospital and at 2 Outreach Clinics at the Terrence Higgins Trust and at the Drake Unit at Birmingham Chest Clinic, both based in the city centre. Patients must talk to a Health Advisor before taking the test and the results are available within 15 minutes.
The Department of Sexual Medicine (DOSM) has its own Sexual Health website packed with information on STIs and testing services. Please visit the website here.
Quality Assurance
-Each kit of 20 tests is tested using an Internal Quality Control by the Serology laboratory before being issued to DOSM to ensure that it is working correctly.
-Clinical staff are trained by laboratory staff before they can perform the test in the clinical setting.
- Standard Operating Procedures and test worksheets are issued by the laboratory.
-External Quality Assessment samples for HIV are tested twice a year by both the laboratory and by DOSM.
Please also refer to the Trust Point of Care testing policy: Here

