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.
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).
Since November 2013, the Enteric Bacterial Infections Service (EBIS) (formerly known as the Scottish Salmonella, Shigella and Clostridioides difficile Reference Laboratory (SSSCDRL)) has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The EBIS are the National Reference Centre for the characterisation of Salmonella, Shigella and C. difficile. We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS).
The EBIS provides antimicrobial susceptibility testing and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of these pathogenic enteric bacteria. The Laboratory actively participates in training, development and relevant externally-funded research and works closely with a number of agencies including PHS and the Gastrointestinal Bacterial Reference unit (GBRU), London.
The laboratory participates in the EC-funded programme organised by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for surveillance of gastrointestinal infections.
The Diagnostic and Reference Parasitology Service (DRPS) (formerly known as the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL)) was established in 1982. Our aim is to provide an efficient and effective parasite diagnostic and advisory service for Scotland.
We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS). Since November 2013, the DRPS has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The DPRS provides a service to Medical Microbiology laboratories across Scotland. The services offered include: diagnosis and identification of parasites in clinical material, diagnosis of human parasite diseases by immunological methods, advice regarding investigation of patients and the appropriateness of tests and finally, advice about prophylaxis and treatment.
Striving for excellence in education and training as individuals, teams and as an organisation.
About Medical Education
Cover the full of NHSGGC health board and will provide help and support to both Undergraduate medical students and Post Graduate Medical trainees, from Foundation Year 1 (FY1) to Specialty Training (ST8).
We are involved in many workstreams from Weekly FY1 teaching to Quality Improvement Visits.
We are based within the main acute site:
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary
- Royal Alexandra Hospital
- Inverclyde Royal Hospital
Please direct your queries via a relevant email below, and a member of team will be in touch to assist you.
Medical Education Complaints Procedure / Raising Concerns
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Medical Education is committed to ensuring high quality education, access to education and staff wellbeing. This allows excellent service to all who use NHSGGC services. We understand, however, that sometimes things go wrong.
If something goes wrong or if you are dissatisfied with something we have done, or have not done, please tell us and we will do our best to put things right. If we cannot resolve matters in the way you want, we will explain why it is not possible to do as you suggest.
If you are experience behaviours which you find unacceptable, speak to someone. Your first point of contact is your educational or clinical supervisor, or someone within your clinical unit, e.g Clinical Director.
You will also have a chief resident within your department/speciality. Chief residents are senior trainees and will support you.
If, for any reason, these routes are not possible or appropriate, please contact our Director of Medical Education, Dr Colin Perry.
ggc.directorofmedicaleducation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
The laboratory is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays).
There is a limited ‘on-call’ service on weekend mornings to support the cardiac transplant service.
For all non-urgent Immunology & Neuroimmunology laboratory enquiries, please email Immunology.Labs@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Please phone the laboratory to discuss all urgent requests.
Postal Address
Department of Immunology and Neuroimmunology
Level 1B, Laboratory Medicine & Facilities Management Building
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
1345 Govan Road
Glasgow
G51 4TF
How reliable is my patient’s result?
Measurement of uncertainty refers to the extent of variation of results at a given value within our assays. This can be affected by a multitude of factors. We generate data over an extended period of time for each of our quantitative assays in order to provide a measure of the expected range in results.
This aids the clinician to determine the significance of any change in concentration of a given analyte – particularly relevant for those tests used in monitoring.
Summary tables below contain uncertainty of measurement values for our assays.
- Automated serology – includes total IgE, allergen specific IgE, IgA & IgG TTG (coeliac serology), CCP antibodies, MPO/PR3 antibodies, GBM antibodies, dsDNA antibodies, ENA antibodies (screen & identities), IgG Aspergillus antibodies, tryptase.
- Specialist techniques – includes acetylcholine receptor antibodies, GAD antibodies (for Diabetes and Stiff Person Syndrome), intrinsic factor antibodies and functional antibodies.
- Immunochemistry (Optilite) – includes serum free light chains and C1 inhibitor (quantitative assay).
- Complement function – includes C1 inhibitor function, classical complement function, alternative complement function.
- Flow cytometry – including lymphocyte subsets analysis for CD3+ CD4+/CD8+ T cells, CD19+ B cells and CD16/56+ NK cells (percentages and absolute counts)
Please contact the laboratory to discuss if required.
NHSGGC Online Organisational/Corporate Induction/LearnPro
Please complete NHSGGC Online Organisational, Corporate Induction and LearnPro Modules inline with information held on main induction page.
If you have any issues, please contact your the medical education team by emailing GGC.MedicalEducationInduction@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
IMG Induction day
Medical Education held a face to face induction day for Simulation and Clinical Skills. this course was designed to welcome International Medical Graduates who are coming to join us in NHSGGC. This complimented other induction activities offered by NES and your place of work.
Some of the work practices and educational processes here in Scotland may be different to the countries you have previously trained and worked in. This course will give you the chance to explore some of these differences in a safe and welcoming environment. There is a course outline attached to this email.
If you are an International Medical Graduate who already works in NHSGGC we would be delighted if you would consider attending a course to meet and support your new colleagues please contact your local Medical Education team / or by emailing medicaleducation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Resources
Scottish IMG Doctor Support Network Facebook Group
If you feel we should include anything please let us know by emailing medicaleducation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Welcome
On behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, We would like to extend a very warm welcome to you in your role as a NHSGGC employee.
Throughout your induction and ahead of starting any post within our NHSGGC, Medical Staff are required to complete various induction material, be this online modules and appropriate learning and education items to enable appropriate access to the systems you require . We hope your induction will be enjoyable.
You will be informed of the specific details and date(s) to submit your induction information at the end of this welcome letter and on our NHSGGC Medical Education website about how to access both of these, and provide evidence of completion.
Within NHSGGC we strive for excellence in medical education and therefore would love to hear your feedback. We are genuinely interested in your constructive feedback about your induction, as this helps us improve year upon year.
At any time in your training – if there is something going wrong or you see something which you think is incorrect or unsafe please tell someone. You will meet your educational supervisor early on in your rotation and they will often be your first point of contact. Please remember that your peers, colleagues, nursing staff and medical managers are there to support you in your post and help you deliver excellent patient care.
We hope you enjoy your induction and look forward to working with you as you start your career within medicine.
Common Abbreviations (A-Z)
ARCP (Annual Review of Competence Progression) – The ARCP is a formal process for reviewing foundation doctors’ progress which uses the evidence gathered by them and supplied by their supervisors. A board will review the evidence displayed on TURAS and will decide the outcome.
CBD (Case based discussion) – A presentation made to a senior doctor discussing a particular case you were involved in during your placement and what you learnt.
DOPS (Direct Observed Procedures) – Any practical procedure performed under supervision that is outside of the 15 core procedures required to be completed by ARCP.
Eportfolio/TURAS – TURAS is the online portfolio system for junior doctors working in GG&C. Here you can upload evidence of case based discussion, mini-cex and TABs. This will also be the platform for writing reflections, uploading certificates and at the end of the year the evidence uploaded to your eportfolio will be appraised for your ARCP.
EWTD (European Working Time Directive) – A directive from the Council of the European Union to protect the health and safety of workers in the European Union. It lays down minimum requirements in relation to working hours, rest periods, annual leave and working arrangements for night workers.
H@N (Hospital at Night) – This varies between hospitals but refers to the team of nurses/HCAs/doctors working the night shift. You can handover jobs to H@N such as bloods tests or chasing scan results.
HEPMA (Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration) – digital prescribing system replacing paper drug chart (kardex) for inpatient areas across NHSGGC.
IDL (Immediate Discharge Letter) – a summary of a patients’ care while in hospital. This letter will also go to their GP and sometimes may need to be sent to another specialty for outpatient follow up.
LearnPro – Online learning platform hosting elearning statutory and mandatory training topics for all staff working in health and social care settings.
MDT (Multidisciplinary Teams) – A meeting comprising of specialist doctors and nurses who meet regularly to establish diagnosis and treatment plans based on radiology results, blood and tissue samples. The MDT serves as a means to enable practitioners and other professionals in health and social care to collaborate successfully.
Meds rec (Medicines Reconciliation) – Patients admitted to hospital will need their regular medicines transcribed onto the kardex/HEPMA. The medicines reconciliation will involve finding out what medications the patient is taking in the community through various sources such as portal, dosette boxes/blister packs and from the history. A precise and thorough meds rec minimises the chance for drug errors and ensures optimal care for patients.
Mini-Cex (Mini clinical evaluation exercise) – This will include a formal history, examination of a patient. An subsequent presentation to a senior. Evidence for this can be uploaded to your eportfolio.
PDP (personal Development plan) – This plan will consist of a particular experience you want to gain or skill you wish to build upon during your current placement. A PDP will be agreed upon with your supervisor in your initial meeting.
Portal – An additional electronic patient record system widely accessed from various NHS clinical systems. It will contain a more extensive database of patient records e.g previous clinic letters, hospital admissions as well as blood results and scan reports. Portal is also used to complete IDL’s and Meds recs when organising a patients discharge.
SLE (supervised learning event) – Mini-Cex/CBD/DOPS are the SLEs you will be required to complete and upload to your eportfolio over the next year. There will be a minimum number of SLEs you are required to complete for each block.
SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) – A written means to instruct staff on how a particular procedure should be carried out and lays out boundaries of responsibility.
TAB (Team Assessment of Behaviour) – TABs are feedback forms concentrating on your behaviour in the workplace rather than your clinical knowledge. There will a minimum number of TABs that have to be completed before you can view the content of the feedback forms. Once completed the feedback will be uploaded to TURAS and can be viewed by yourself and
supervisor.
TrakCare – The electronic patient management system where all patient episodes (outpatient, inpatient and emergency) are recorded. The systems incorporates electronic requesting (Order Comms) for labs, radiology and cardiology and contains the list of patients on the wards, the results of their scans, blood tests and other investigations.
This list is by no means exhaustive but includes some common abbreviations used across NHSGGC.
If you feel we have missed one, or many, please email ggc.medicaleducationinductions@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.