Important Do’s

SWABS

 Together with patient details, please DO ensure that all swabs are clearly labelled with the DATE and SITE from where the swab has been taken, together with the patient’s details. Providing details of the site from where a swab is collected will ensure appropriate testing and reporting.

TBQ4

 Please DO ensure that the DATE and TIME the TBQ4 samples are taken is clearly given on the request form. This is vital as the sample must be incubated within 16 hours from the time of sample taking.

ZINC

 Please DO note that from 1 November 2023, all serum zinc tests (code ZINC) must be run from dark blue (trace metal) vacutainers. If you need to order these tubes, please contact us.

MRSA

 Please DO take nasal or groin (and wound) site swabs for MRSA PCR testing, and avoid axilla swabs because of higher rates of competing flora and potential contamination from deodorants, which inhibit MRSA growth.

 

Ziwig Endotest® for endometriosis

A decision to pause testing for Endotest has been made. There have been unacceptable delays with reporting times for this referred service over the last few months. There is every intention to reinstate testing as soon as these delays have been resolved. Samples received from this date will not be stored/saved. We will continue to work with Ziwig so as to enable the release of results for samples which are being processed. Do please call, or email  should you wish to discuss this situation further.

 

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) update

WCC changed NIPT testing from Harmony to the Illumina VeriSeq NIPT Solution v2 in September. New style sample taking kits and request forms have replaced those used for Harmony.

The Illumina VeriSeq NIPT Solution v2 offers analysis for the same conditions as the Harmony NIPT including options for fetal sex and sex chromosome aneuploidies. Additional benefits are:

  • Only one blood tube is required – this is sufficient should a repeat test be required.
  • Lower failure rate – less than 2%
  • Faster turnaround times (from receipt of sample to reporting now at 2–4 days.
  • IVF donor status no longer required

HbA1c (GHB) results

From 1st November 2023, HbA1c results will be reported using mmol/mol as the units of measurement, adhering to NICE guidelines and UKAS requirements. The result as a percentage will no longer be reported. A conversion to a percentage can be found here:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/hba1c

Test request forms

Wherever possible, please use options to raise request forms via a digital route. This could be through your own Practice Management software or via WCC eViewPlus. Linked requests from the practice system provide scope for faster, more efficient, more accurate requesting and avoids the potential for spelling errors and queries received from handwritten paper requests. Linked results continue to be supported by email and results look-up using WCCeViewPlus.

If you are not already registered for WCC eViewPlus please download theWCC eViewPlus Application Form, complete it and send it to info@whitecrosspolyclinics.com. The eViewPlus team will help with set up and a demonstration of this option.

 

Stool pots

If you are requesting more than one stool test please use multiple pots as this will speed up the processing and reporting process. Our self-collect kit KT430 contains a QFIT and two universal stool pots. Both stool pots should be used when requesting 2 or more tests from stool.

 

QFIT

 QFIT

CALP (Calprotectin)

QCAL (QFIT plus Calprotectin)

Stool pot

 PENT (Stool for m/c/s)

EORD (Enteric organism PCR)

HBAG (H. pylori antigen)

ELAS (Elastase)

Covid testing

The Abbott IgG (GCOV) and IgM (MCOV) antibody tests are no longer being run. The Roche Spike (SCOV) and Total (TCOV) tests are still currently available. COVID-19 by PCR (NCOV) is run daily (8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm at weekends) but is no longer available through the night.

 

Blood groups for babies less than 5 months old

There is a requirement for blood group tests for babies less than 5 months old to be requested using the lab code ABOC. The EDTA tube label MUST BE HANDWRITTEN providing full name, date of birth, NHS number and/or Hospital number and/or address, and time and date or sample taking. ABOC testing is run by the National Blood Service who follow strict labelling guidelines. There is a National Blood Service charge of £226.81 for this test.