This is the home page for Haematology and Blood Transfusion NHSGGC.
Contact and service information, for each Department in the Clyde, North Glasgow and South Glasgow Sectors, can be accessed below.
Haematology
Haematology is the study of the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves the production of blood and its components, such as blood cells, haemoglobin, blood proteins and bone marrow.
Haemostasis (Blood Coagulation)
Haemostasis is how the human body responds to a blood vessel injury or bleeding. It involves the coordinated effort between platelets and numerous blood clotting proteins (or clotting factors), and ends with the forming of a blood clot and the stopping of bleeding.
Blood Transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of how an individual receives blood or blood products. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Blood Transfusion uses individual components of the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, clotting factors and platelets.
Haematology Staff
Haematologists investigate, diagnose and treat diseases such as anaemia, leukaemia and lymphoma. They also care for patients with blood-clotting abnormalities and are responsible for ensuring that blood transfusions are safe and available when they are needed. Haematologists are the Biomedical Scientists and Clinical Scientists who work in laboratories and the Medical Staff who work with their patients in clinics and on the wards. Haematologists may be involved throughout the patient’s journey, from the very first hospital visit, all the way through laboratory diagnosis to treatment. Hundreds of thousands of blood tests are carried out every day in the UK.
Regulation and Accreditation
Haematology and Blood Transfusion NHSGGC is committed to providing the highest quality laboratory and clinical services we have been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), using International Standard ISO: 15189. We have been assessed for compliance to the Blood safety and Quality Regulations 2005 (BSQR) and The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We are assessed for compliance with the Human Tissues Act 2004 (HTA) by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) and for compliance to the JACIE standards by The Joint Accreditation Committee ISCT-Europe and EBMT (JACIE).
To find details of each of the individual sector’s accreditation and regulatory compliance then please go to the appropriate sector page.
To look at any sector’s ISO:15189 schedule of accreditation please go to the appropriate sector page or you may click on one of the UKAS logos above.
Our Locations
North Glasgow Sector
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary
- Gartnavel General Hospital
- Stobhill ACH
- West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital
South Glasgow Sector
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
- Victoria ACH
Clyde Sector
- Royal Alexandra Hospital
- Inverclyde Royal Hospital
- Vale of Leven Hospital
For queries about the service please contact the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Biochemistry Department on 0141 354 9060.
About the service
The Scottish Biologic Drug Monitoring Service is delivered by the Biochemistry Dept. within the Lab Medicine Building on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital site, Glasgow.
The service currently delivers Infliximab and Adalimumab levels and their respective total anti-drug antibodies (ADA) for optimising care predominantly in gastroenterology patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The service attained UKAS accreditation (2019) and is working with IMMQAS and others to improve the EQA understanding for drug and ADA assays. The service uses both WHO standards for drug levels and a patient pool sample for ADA assay to monitor performance. It is involved in sample exchange with other laboratories.
The service employs a reflex ADA testing strategy based on drug level result. When a drug level result is within or higher than the therapeutic target range, and when ADA level has previously been undetectable, reflex ADA testing is not routinely performed. Since the introduction of reflex ADA testing approximately 50% adalimumab samples and 37% infliximab samples have not had a reflex ADA test performed.
There may be some clinical scenarios where ADA titres are desirable even when drug level results are therapeutic. Requests for additional ADA testing should be indicated clearly at the time of test request or can be arranged by contacting the lab directly.
During 2019 there were 2821 Infliximab and 2920 Adalimumab samples analysed from health boards across Scotland.
TDM tests should be requested according to local biochemistry/immunology laboratory requirements. The previously used paper request forms are no longer required. Local teams are encouraged to collate data related to TDM use and outcomes as this may be required to sustain future rounds of service funding.
Specific Rheumatology guidance
Specific Gastroenterology guidance
Vedolizumab drug level and antibody testing
Vedolizumab drug level testing is now available. The utility of testing drug and anti-drug antibodies for vedolizumab has yet to be fully ascertained. Target drug levels for vedolizumab have not been clearly established. The current evidence is covered in these articles:
Vedolizumab testing is not part of the nationally commissioned TDM service. The cost per sample is £20.
In order to gather clinical data regarding the benefits of vedolizumab drug level testing, please complete and enclose a completed request form with each sample. This information will be used to try and secure UKAS accreditation for vedolizumab drug level testing. Vedolizumab Request Audit Form.
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Clyde Biochemistry Laboratories (those based at Royal Alexandra Hospital, Inverclyde Royal Hospital and Vale of Leven Hospital) has been accredited with UKAS to standard ISO 15189:2012 for much of our test repertoire. The certificate of accreditation is available online.
The scope of our accreditation includes the majority of the tests performed by our laboratories, with a small number of tests not falling within our accreditation status (for example, no fluid analyses (on fluids other than CSF, urine or blood / serum / plasma) are accredited) – see the link above for details of our accredited scope.
Specialist services including Protein Electrophoresis and less often requested endocrine assays are based at RAH.
All routine GP work within the Clyde Sector is also based at RAH.
Please accept our apologies for the behaviour of links on this webpage. This is due to a global setting which is outwith the Biochemistry Department’s control.
Service Hours
Routine operating hours
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.00pm
- Saturday and Sunday, 8.30am to 12.00pm (Inverclyde Royal Hospital) and 9.00am to 12.00pm (Royal Alexandra Hospital)
- There is a 24hr emergency service for urgent samples outwith these hours
Contact Details
Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH)
- Address: Corsebar Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA2 9PN
- Telephone: 0141 314 6157 extention 06157
Inverclyde Royal Hospital (IRH)
- Address: Larkfield Road, Greenock PA16 0XN
- Telephone: 01475 504827 extention 04827 – Emergency requests extention 04213
Vale of Leven Hospital (VOL)
- Main Street, Alexandria G83 0UA
- Telephone: 01389 817568 extention 87568
POCT issues / Cryoglobulin testing
For routine issues with gas analysers or blood glucose meters and to arrange training / barcode for meters please email:
Cryoglobulin testing can also be arranged via this email address.
Clinical Advice
Both Primary and Secondary care professionals served by the Clyde Biochemistry Laboratory can obtain clinical advice by email:
Feedback
We are committed to providing a quality service to users. If you wish to provide feedback on the Clyde Glasgow Biochemistry service, please contact our Quality Manager by emailing Pamela.craig@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
Handbooks and Manuals
Laboratory Newsletter
The most recent laboratory newsletter is available below:
Previous issues of the newsletter are stored in the Clyde Biochemistry Document Library:
Memos
Primary Care
Secondary Care
Previous memos can be found in the Clyde Biochemistry Document Library, linked above.
Full details of the service provided by the Laboratory can be found in the Laboratory Users Manual.
A list of all services currently available in Scotland can be found at National Services Scotland (Test Directories).
Full details of the services provided by other Scottish Genomic Network Laboratories, including request forms, can be found on the Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh laboratory websites.
A list of all genomic tests commissioned by NHS England for rare and inherited disorders, and cancer can be found in The National Genomic Test Directory.
Please note due to significant staffing issues and service optimisation, the laboratory is currently experiencing backlogs to the following services:
Analysis and reporting for routine Germline Karyotyping and Hereditary Haemochromatosis (09/10/24).
Analysis and reporting for FFPE FISH services. This includes HER2 analysis for Breast and Gastric cancer referrals, FISH assays for Lymphoproliferative Disorders (including MYC, IGH-MYC, BCL2, BCL6 etc) and Lung cancer (ALK and ROS1). (09/10/24).
We endeavour to clear these backlogs as soon as possible. Please continue to contact us to flag urgent cases and we will do our upmost to prioritise. The department is confident that this is a short-term interruption that should be resolved by a number of mitigating actions, including cross-training and active recruitment and we will update further here as soon as possible.
Sending a sample for Genetic testing
Each request accepted by the laboratory for testing is considered an agreement between the user and laboratory. Please see the Terms and Conditions of Service
Sample acceptance criteria / mandatory information
Either a completed request form or a detailed letter must be sent with each patient sample. Forms can also be requested by telephoning the department on 0141 354 9300 or downloaded from the list using ‘Request Forms (Germline and Somatic)’ tab below.
As a minimum, two pieces of patient identifying information must be provided on both the form and the sample container, e.g. name and CHI number. Specimens may be rejected if the form and the sample container do not have the same 2 patient identifiers.
Consent for testing
Discussions regarding testing and/or storage of genetic material is the responsibility of the referring clinician and a summary of clinical consent will be included in the patient’s health record. Consent is implied by submitting the sample for testing to the laboratory.
Further Analysis on Previously Stored Sample
For clinical users that wish to request further genetic testing for patients where we already have an appropriate specimen in the laboratory, the Further Analysis Request Form needs to be filled in. This will automatically send the request to the genetics laboratory. The request will be actioned by the laboratory or someone from the laboratory will contact the referring clinician if there are any issues or if further information is required.
Accreditation and Quality Management
The Laboratory Genetics department is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO 15189:2012 standards. The scope of accredited services are listed within our UKAS schedule of accreditation.
As part of our quality management system and to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our users, we are always keen to receive any comments you may have regarding the quality of the service we provide and would welcome any suggestions on ways in which we might be able to improve the service. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of the service, please contact the Quality Manager.
Privacy Statement
In Laboratory Genetics, we use secure cloud-based analysis tools to help us analyse and interpret DNA sequencing results. Please see the NHSGGC Privacy Notice for cloud-based genetic NGS analysis
Request Forms (Germline and Somatic)
Haemato-oncology send away tests – all referrals for specialist testing must be sent via Laboratory Genetics for processing and forwarding to appropriate test centre
Germline
More information coming soon…
Rare and inherited disease
More information coming soon…
Somatic
More information coming soon…
Haematology Malignancy
More information coming soon…
Cancer (Solid Tumour)
More information coming soon…
Laboratory Genetics forms part of the West of Scotland Centre for Genomic Medicine and is co-located with the Clinical Genetics Service at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. The Laboratory provides a comprehensive diagnostic genetic service for the patients of the West of Scotland (population >2.7 million) and offers specialised testing to the whole of Scotland, the UK and overseas.
The laboratory is a member of the Scottish Strategic Network for Genomic Medicine, with laboratories also located in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh. The Laboratory Services are funded by National Services Division of NHS Scotland (NSD) and are commissioned to work together to provide a comprehensive genetics service to the patients of Scotland.
The Laboratory Genetics department is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO 15189 standards. For more information see Accreditation and Quality Management section under Information for Service Users.
Our Services
The department offers Germline and Somatic testing, full details of which can be found under the Information for Service Users link.
Where to find us
Postal Address for correspondence and samples
West of Scotland Centre for Genomic Medicine
Laboratory Genetics
Level 2B Laboratory Medicine & FM Building
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Glasgow, G51 4TF
Contacting the Laboratory
For general enquiries please contact our Duty Scientist at Genetic.Laboratories@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
or telephone 0141 354 9300 (internal 59300)
For Clinical Genetics please call 0141 354 9200 (internal 59200)
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday, from 8.30am – 5.00pm
The laboratory does not offer an out of hours service but it may be possible to arrange the analysis of urgent samples out with these times, by prior arrangement. The department is closed during public holidays.
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If you have any problems accessing the above, please get in touch with either: David.McCrohon@ggc.scot.nhs.uk or Jill.McNeill@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
WE HAVE MOVED HOME! This page is no longer updated, please visit the new Sharepoint Community Nursing Webpage.
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Palliative Care Definition
This framework sets out a vision for the next five years, outcomes and ten commitments to support improvements in the delivery of palliative and end of life care across Scotland. It will give an understanding of the definition of Palliative care and the link to preferred place of death.
Palliative and end of life care: strategic framework for action.
Anticipatory Care Planning Resources
Whilst Anticipatory Care Planning may be particularly useful for people receiving palliative care, it is a tool that can be used with anyone. Staff should encourage everyone to start to think about what matters to them and what their wishes and preferences may be. More information and resources to help guide conversations can be found on the ACP Resources Page.
As part of the GGC Unscheduled Care Anticipatory Care Programme, a standard operating procedure has now been published giving detailed guidance to staff regarding the process of having and recording anticipatory care planning conversations. This guidance is applicable across all areas of NHSGGC, including the 6 HSCPs, Primary Care, Acute settings and the independent care sector.
The SOP is very comprehensive with a quick guide to support navigation. These can be accessed via the ACP Resources Page or via the links below:
We hope existing and newly recruited staff, managers, GPs and Nursing/Care Homes will find the SOP helpfully provides guidance around ACP conversation initiation, use of the ACP Summary document, saving to Clinical Portal and KIS. Example ACP Summaries are also included providing extra support. All staff can also access ACP training via the emodule or attending a virtual communication skills workshop (dates available on the webpages).
We will be promoting this document over the next month via tweets, core briefs, e-bulletins etc. and would appreciate your help in spreading the word. You can follow us on twitter at @NHSGGC_ACP or forward any emails you receive to colleagues and networks you feel may be interested.
Any feedback or questions regarding the documents or the programme can be sent to ACPSupport@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
NHSGGC Documents
Transforming Nursing Roles (Advanced Practice) Papers
Transforming Nursing Roles – Advanced Nurse Practitioner Competency Frameworks
Other Resources
District nursing is an accessible service for adults confined to their own home, who require assistance with their their nursing needs.
To contact the service direct, please call the Single Point of Access on 0141 355 2180.
For Clinicians
We have moved! The content published previously on this page has now moved to our District Nursing SharePoint site.
You will need to be logged on to the NHSGGC network to access this content.
