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Staff Resources & Support

The West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre (WoSSVC) is a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited medical laboratory No. 9319. A full list of accredited tests can be found on our schedule of accreditation.

Please note users will be informed if an assay/result lies outside the laboratory’s scope of accreditation.

WoSSVC is located at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) and is part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC).

Clinical advice and urgent testing: email west.ssvc2@nhs.scot during opening times or phone: 0141 242 9656 (internal 29656). Please note during busy times it is easier to email and a member of the clinical team will respond.

To add on tests please email west.ssvc2@nhs.scot with clinical details and tests required. The email is monitored during laboratory opening hours (we aim to reply to your email within 1 hour, however, at busy times this may not be possible).

Results are available on clinical portal, SCI Store, TrakCare and GPICE for NHSGGC patients if a patient’s CHI has been provided on the request form.

For out of hours clinical advice call the Switchboard on 0141 211 1000 (1000 internal) and ask for the on-call virologist.

Please contact ggc.virologystockrequests@ggc.scot.nhs.uk to request DBS kits and chlamydia swabs.

From the 1st of July 2024 WoSSVC will no longer be able to supply Molecular Sample Solution (MSS) tubes to users.

MSS swab collection kits can be ordered from PECOS, and the ordering details are as follows:

MSS swab collection kits SW0004 1 x 100 (NP866/21)

  •    Manufacturer – E + O Laboratories Limited
  •    SKU code/Item number – 279326 (reference SW0004)
  •    Pack Size – box of 100
User Manual
Request Forms

Leadership is an integral component of all Allied Health Professional (AHP) and AHP Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) roles across the whole career pathway.

Whatever your role or level of practice, there is information and resources available to support your leadership development.

Boardwide Leadership Provision NHSGGC

Leadership development resources

Leading to Change

Offers a range of leadership development programmes, opportunities and support for health, social care and social work leaders to help you make a difference. 

Leading to Change website
Leadership and Management Zone

You will find resources here to help you be the best you can be, as a leader or manager in health and care.

It is designed for staff at all levels and from all disciplines. 

Leadership and Management Zone
Leadership Links

Provides bite-sized learning opportunities for leaders and managers at all roles and levels in social care, social work and health.

Leadership Links
Effective Practitioner

Can help you to identify gaps in knowledge and direct you to resources that can help meet your learning needs.

Effective Practitioner
Leadership Academy

Has a curriculum of programmes, resources and activities for NHS staff. 

Leadership Academy
Leadership Pillar

Information and activities for HCSW staff

HCSW Learning week (2022)

Leadership Pillar
Sue Simpson Leadership sessions

Presentations from Sue Simpson’s Leadership Sessions 2021/22 

Leadership webinar 1
Leadership webinar 2
Leadership webinar 3
Leadership webinar 4
Contact Details

Vascular Access Contact Details

  • Nurse Led Vascular Access Service Email Address: vasnurseled@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
  • Gartnavel General Hospital Telephone: 0141 232 2140 or (32140)
  • Queen Elizabeth University Hospital: 0141 452 3587 or (83587)
  • Glasgow Royal Infirmary: 0141 956 0587 or (60587)
Vascular Access Service. Who are we?

We are a nurse led team. Our service provides the insertion of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC lines),  Midline Catheters, Non-tunnelled Central Venous Catheters and the insertion and removal of Tunnelled Central Venous Catheters (TCVCs). We also provide advice and support on the care and maintenance of vascular access devices.

  • Nicola Wyllie – Senior Charge Nurse
  • Maren Hunter – Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • David McGrath – Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist 
  • Niamh Hughes – Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Christian Macdonald – Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Gemma Martin – Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Isabel Soto Martinez – Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Christina Milligan – Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Yumiko Shimokawa – Clinical Nurse Specialist
Vascular access referrals

We encourage early referral for a suitable vascular access device to improve patient experience, preserve vessel health and effectively facilitate IV therapy.

Please be aware that this is an extremely busy elective service. We will endeavour to facilitate all referrals as soon as possible. We are not an emergency service, however we will expedite urgent cases if we are able to do so. To discuss referrals please email us on the group email address above.

The Vascular Access Service work Mon-Fri 08:30 – 16:30 and some weekends staff permitting.

Please note : Vascular access is a nurse led service, not all patients are suitable for referral.

Catheter Peripheral Central Venous Catheter (PICC) / Midline Catheter

There is no restrictive exclusion criteria for PICC or midline catheter insertion.

Cuffed Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (TCVC)

  • APTT ratio must be equal to or lower than 1.6
  • PT no higher than 16
  • Platelets must be above 40 (if platelets between 30-40 VAS will consider placing a catheter with platelets running following discussion with medical staff)
  • Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) must be omitted 24 hours prior to procedure if it is a treatment dose, 12 hours for a prophylactic dose.
  • Patient is able to lie flat

Patients not suitable for Nurse led service

  • Known venous stenosis, SVC obstruction or central venous stent in situ
  • Significant mediastinal disease
  • Recent myocardial infarction (within 2 days)
  • Pacemaker in situ
  • Current pneumothorax

If patient has these symptoms please refer to interventional radiology service.

Patient Referral to the Vascular Access Service

All patient referrals are made via TrakCare.

Please follow the process below:

  • Input the patients community health index (CHI) into trak
  • Click on Episode Tree
  • Select current episode
  • Click on ‘New Request’
  • Under Imaging:
  • For PICC line insertion : Input ‘IPICCI’ into item box
  • For TCVC insertion input ‘ITCVCI’
  • For TCVC removal ‘ITCVCX’
  • For TCVC exchange ‘ITCVCG
  • For Haemo-dialysis insertion ‘ ITUNDI’

For insertion of TCVC – all patients must have a recent Coagulation (Coag) and Full Blood Count (FBC) (within 2 weeks provided they have received no treatment)

Vascular Access : Guidelines and useful links
Consent / AWI for Vascular Access Service

Patients will be consented by a vascular access nurse. 

Patients must have capacity to consent ( i.e. not given a sedative pre-procedure unless already consented by a member of the vascular access team). 

Patients with impaired capacity must have a separate  Adults with Incapacity (AWI) form specifically for line insertion/removal completed before being transferred to the department.

Support – Vascular Access Device Care and Maintenance

For queries regarding support and training on the care and maintenance of vascular access devices please email -vasnurseled@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Aseptic Non Touch Technique ANTT®

When accessing any vascular access device you must always use ANTT®

Always wash hands effectively

Never contaminate key parts/key areas

Touch non-key parts with confidence

Take appropriate infection control precautions

The key principle to preventing infection is to maintain the asepsis of key parts/sites.

  • Key parts – any part of the device which will come into direct contact with the patients bloodstream.
  • Key sites – insertion and exit sites
  • The key parts can be protected by the use of micro fields such as syringe wrappers.
  • There is no need for the use of sterile dressing packs or sterile gloves, unless you are performing a dressing change when it is impossible to apply the new dressings without touching them and sterile gloves are required.
Advice and Links – Vascular Access Device Care & Maintenance

Dressing changes for all central venous vascular access devices must be done weekly (unless visibly contaminated). The dressing, stabilisation device (if PICC line), CHG impregnated foam dressing and needle-free device must all be changed weekly using an adapted ANTT®. Please see page 17 of the NHSGGC ANTT® Clinical Guideline for step by step guidance.

When accessing a vascular access device to flush, aspirate or change the needle-free device you must always ‘scrub the hub’ for 30 seconds. Whilst scrubbing the hub you should concentrate on the flat connective surface but also scrub around the side using wipes that contain Chlorhexidine 2% and Alcohol 70%.

Preventing catheter blockages

Flush immediately after use, use an ANTT® and scrub the hub for 30 seconds before accessing the device.

When flushing a vascular access device, routinely use Nacl 0.9% in a 10ml luer lock syringe and a brisk ‘push/pause’ technique. This creates a turbulent pulsatile flow which clears the lumen of debris. Ensure that you finish the flush by clamping on positive pressure (whilst you are administering the last push) to prevent blood re-entering the device and thus maintaining patency. Flush before, between and immediately after each use.

Please refer to NHSGGC ‘Vascular access device (VADs), care and maintenance‘ document.

Routinely move clamp on PICC and Midline to prevent damage.

Difficultly aspirating catheter

  • Valsalva Manoeuvre – ask the patient to take a deep breath, hold and attempt to force out air through closed mouth.
  • Change needle-free device using ANTT
  • Check the clamp on PICC line, move clamp and massage lumen underneath if crushed. Check to see if the dressing has kinked the catheter near the insertion site.
  • Please refer to  Appendix 4: Algorithm for persistent withdrawal occlusion of the RCN Standards for infusion therapy

Please do not remove a blocked PICC until you have spoken to a member of the Vascular Access Team as it may be salvageable.

Quick Guide To Vascular Access Devices

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)

Suitable for the duration of therapy.

No preparation required, no exclusion criteria (although patient must be able to position arm to enable insertion).

Suitable for all IV medications and short term parenteral nutrition (PN)

CT compatible and Non CT compatible depending on the device.

Tunnelled Central Venous Catheter (TCVC)

Suitable for the duration of therapy.

Not all patients are suitable to attend the Nurse led service as we have an exclusion criteria – (please see referrals section).

The TCVCs we insert are cuffed so they require to be removed by an appropriately trained individual under local anaesthetic.

Midline Catheters

4F 12cm Smart Midline peripheral catheter – last up to 29 days. CT Compatible. Please be aware – blood sampling from midline catheters may result in device failure.

Are you a newly qualified nurse, midwife or allied health professional (AHP)?

The Practice Education team are providing access to two Clinical Supervision sessions in your first year of practice, although these may be provided locally for some disciplines. Through attending the sessions, newly qualified practitioners (NQPs) will have opportunity to explore the effects of your work, by recognising how you are impacted by this, you can then focus on solutions for your learning and development and maintain or build your resilience levels.

Clinical Supervision supports you to reflect, and develop your clinical practice, whilst embedding staff wellbeing and wellness into the working environment, promoting and establishing positive working cultures, leading to improved patient outcomes. 

To get the most from clinical supervision, please complete: Clinical Supervision Unit 1 on TURAS

The NQP Clinical Supervision sessions will take place via MS Teams and dates for sessions can be found below.

Return to Practice Education’s main page

The Clinical Genetics department is situated on Level 2A of the Laboratory Medicine Building of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The staff of the Clinical Genetics Department see increasing numbers of patients and their families every year at general genetics clinics, cancer genetic clinics and other specialist genetic clinics.

These clinics are held within the department clinic area on level 1A, at other Glasgow hospitals or for some conditions, at a number of community locations throughout the West of Scotland, including Kilmarnock, Wishaw, Ayr, Larbert and Dumfries. We also offer virtual appointments by video or telephone where appropriate, or may reply by letter.

Further Information

Haemochromatosis
Information for Patients
Information for Clinicians
Clinic Locations
Staff Contacts

General enquiries

Cancer Genetics enquiries

Prenatal Genetics enquiries

Referrals

Referrals should be made to the department by:

SCI-Gateway “Clinical Genetics” email: genetics.referrals@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

This page is intended to assist AHPs in finding out more information about their career development and the NES NMAHP Transforming Roles Programme.

The Lead for this workstream for AHPs in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is Dr Mhairi Brandon.

If you have any questions on the NHSGGC AHP transforming roles workstream please get in touch with Mhairi directly.

Transforming NMAHP Roles NHS Education for Scotland

Who are we?

  • Jane Dudgeon (AHP Practice Education Manager)
  • Elspeth Lee (AHP Practice Education Lead)
  • Jennifer Dick (AHP Practice Education Lead)
  • Sarah Richardson (AHP Practice Education Lead)
  • Jillian Rennie (AHP Practice Education Facilitator)
  • Sharon Dempsey (AHP Practice Education Team Administrator)

“We work strategically at both a local and national level. We support and facilitate learning and development across all levels of the AHP Career Pathway”

What do we do?

We are part of a national network of AHP Practice Education staff based in all NHS Boards across Scotland.

The AHP Practice Education Team work with AHPs at all stages of their career. We aim to ensure the quality of work-based learning and to develop the work place as a learning environment.

Workstreams

Priority areas of work are guided at a national level by NHS Education for Scotland (NES). However, the AHP Practice Education Team workstreams do reflect the needs of the AHP workforce locally in NHSGGC and NHS Golden Jubilee.

AHP Practice Education Team workstreams
Practice Based Learning (PrBL)

We work with students and practice educators across NHSGGC, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and NES to support the provision of quality practice-based learning. This ensures we continue to have experienced newly qualified AHPs who can provide high quality care across NHSGGC.  

Further information on local work and resources can be found by accessing the AHP Practice Educators Information page. 

The team also contributes to national work to support AHP practice-based learning.

AHP Careers and recruitment, including return to practice

As a team we are involved in the promotion of career choices and pathways available for AHP professions at all levels of the Career Framework.

The team link with local Workforce Employability Leads to keep up to date and support local workforce development plans/ events and to address any local recruitment challenges.

The NHS Scotland Careers in Healthcare webpage is easily accessible to all and has a number of useful resources including up to date careers opportunities across all professions, careers stories, blogs and information on apprenticeships.

The team also supports AHP return to practice. This includes AHPs who wish to return to practice and join the HCPC register, as well as AHPs willing to support a period of supervised practice for an AHP within NHSGGC. 

NES have launched the AHP Return to Practice web page which provides information, links to resources and access to NHS Board key contacts.

This webpage includes guidance to arranging supervised practice. To compliment this guidance, we have worked with NHSGGC Human Resources (HR)  to provide Supplementary Information on the NHSGGC HR Process and the AHP senior leads to have agreed timescales for organising supervised practice. These documents will guide NHSGGC AHPs supporting supervised practice placements.

Support and Supervision

The purpose of supervision is to promote wellbeing, support personal and professional development, develop knowledge, skills, and values and to promote competent practice, safe and effective person-centred care (Rothwell et al, 2018). All of these bring benefits to us as individuals, to our teams, organisations and to those who access our services.  

Supervision is for and about you, as a person, a professional and as an employee.

Scotland’s Position Statement on supervision for Allied Health Professions (2018) states that all AHP practitioners, irrespective of their level of practice or experience, should have access to, and be prepared to make constructive use of supervision.

Allied Health Professions (AHP) support and supervision  on TURAS and NHSGGC AHP Supervision Policy and Resources provide further information on AHP support and supervision (including resources to support supervision in practice, and access to learning and training on the subject).

 

Supporting AHP workforce development

We support local networks to highlight areas of best practice that are in place to support Newly Qualified Practitioners (NQPs).

The team will also be supporting a national scoping exercise looking at the needs of NQPs and those supporting them in their transition into the workforce.

NHS Flying Start Programme

We recognise that the transition from student to Newly Qualified Practitioner (NQP) can be an exciting but often daunting time.  We therefore encourage all NQPs to complete NHS Flying Start, the national development programme designed to support NQPs including, nurses, midwives and AHPs, in their first year of practice. 

The Flying start programme combines individual learning with support in the workplace which helps NQPs develop their confidence and become competent and capable health professionals. 

Further information on the Flying Start programme can be found on the AHP Flying Start NHS® Learning Site on TURAS and on the NHSGGC Flying Start NHS® Portal.

Healthcare Support Workers         

Role development and learning and development for AHP support workers working across all care settings is vitally important. Information and resources are available on Support Worker Central on TURAS.

A survey was carried out in 2023 to establish the learning and development needs of the AHP HCSW workforce across NHSGGC. A report of the findings from this survey has been produced along with a summary SWAY.

Clinical Skills

Defined as “any action by a health or social care professional involved in direct patient care which impacts on clinical outcome in a measurable way” (NHS Education for Scotland, 2008).

We work with AHPs within NHSGGC to develop the use of clinical skills to support learning and high-quality client-centred practice. We also contribute to the national work stream to support and develop clinical skills.

AHP Education Fund

The AHP Education Fund offers all AHP staff the opportunity to apply to receive funding to complete specific modules and courses at different times of the year. As these opportunities arise, they will be advertised here.

The current round of funding includes 3 different opportunities to support AHP staff Learning and Development. Applications open on Tuesday 1st October at 9.00am and close on Monday 4th November at 9.00am. Click below for further information and application packs from 1st October.

More information on the AHP Education Fund
Contact Us

Email: ggc.gjnhahpepl@nhs.scot

SMRSARL Request Form

The Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory (SMRSARL) was established in April 1997. We were created in response to a rapid increase in the number of MRSA infections identified in hospitals across Scotland. We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS) . Since November 2013, the Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The SMRSARL provides a national MRSA reference service for isolates from diagnostic laboratories throughout Scotland. The services we provide include: confirmation of MRSA status, detection of various toxin genes and epidemiological typing of strains. We also provide advice on infection control issues and have an ongoing research and development program. We collaborate with PHS to provide data on the national trends in MRSA epidemiology in Scotland.

SAMRS Request Form

The Scottish Antimicrobial Resistance Service (SAMRS) investigates carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales, Pseudomonads, Acinetobacter species and other healthcare associated Gram negative bacteria. We were commissioned in 2016 by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS).

The increasing incidence of carbapenemases across Scotland led to the formation of our service. From 2016, we began providing molecular detection for the ‘Big 5’ carbapenemase genes (KPC, NDM, VIM,OXA-48 and IMP). In 2018, we introduced molecular detection of OXA-23, OXA-24/40, OXA-51 and OXA-58 in isolates of Acinetobacter species. Finally, in 2019 we commenced our broth microdilution service. Broth microdilution allows our team to further screen for other mechanisms of resistance (including rare carbapenemases).

We investigate colistin resistance and other exceptional phenotypes demonstrated by Enterobacterales, Pseudomonads, Acinetobacter species and other healthcare associated Gram negative bacteria. We also provide cefiderocol sensitivity testing for multidrug resistant organisms (on request).