Pathology
Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids and whole bodies (autopsies.)
The term also encompasses the related scientific study of disease processes, called general pathology which deals with the mechanisms underlying tissue or cellular injury in addition to how the body subsequently responds to such injury.
The pathology department is a clinical support service, providing diagnostic and clinical advice to surgeons and clinicians from within the Trust and to local GPs and tertiary referrers from without. The pathology department at Homerton University Hospital comprises a comprehensive Clinical Biochemistry, Microbiology, Haematology and Blood Transfusion service in addition to an infectious serology screening programme with off-site confirmation provided by the RoyalLondonHospital and a full Immunology service managed by an external provider. We are registered with Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd., where you can check the current accreditation status of our individual laboratories.
We are also accredited to train biomedical scientists, clinical scientists and junior doctors. Our quality team ensures the whole department operates under a rigorous quality management system to provide diagnostic laboratory services of the highest quality to meet the requirements of our users and those set by regulators and accreditors alike.
Here you can find information for patients coming for various tests and for healthcare professionals, including a searchable test directory and guidance on completion of request forms and labelling of samples. As this site is currently in development it is still possible to access the Pathology user handbook (here) which will otherwise be replaced as this site comes fully online.
Information for patients
You may be referred to the pathology department by your GP for a blood test, or a variety of other tests to help with diagnosing and monitoring certain medical conditions.
This section contains useful information that will ensure you are adequately prepared and can provide a suitable specimen for analysis when you attend clinic. Additionally, here you will find background information as to the purpose of the test(s) you have been requested to have taken.
Information for Healthcare Professionals
These pages contain general information relating to transport of specimens, diagnostic protocols (e.g. dynamic function tests,) special specimen requirements and guidance for making test orders.
Guide to laboratory tests and directory
Here you can find a comprehensive test directory containing a list of biochemical, haematology and immunological tests available through the Pathology department alongside an explanation as to the purpose of each, approximate turnaround times and reference ranges in addition to referral centre details (if applicable) and any relevant specialised test requirements as are necessary.
Blood Transfusion
The blood transfusion service provides a range of blood and blood products, performs antenatal screening and other specialist testing for the Trust and external healthcare professionals and advises clinicians on the appropriate use of this limited resource.
Clinical Biochemistry
The department of clinical biochemistry offers a diagnostic and advisory service to clinical staff throughout the Trust and wider environs in addition to providing a tertiary service to other Trusts through its busy drugs of abuse, specific proteins and LC.MS laboratories.
In addition, Clinical Biochemistry operates an infectious serology screening service with subsequent referral to an off-site provider for confirmation and specialist virology analyses.
Haematology
The haematology department provides a 24-hour quality diagnostic and advisory service to the hospital clinical staff and general practitioners which encompasses a comprehensive haemoglobinopathy screening and HbA1c monitoring service in addition to an established haemostasis laboratory for the routine diagnosis and treatment of clotting disorders (inclusive of thrombophilia screening.)
Immunology
The Clinical Biochemistry department processes requests for immunology investigations via an external provider which in turn provides a full diagnostic and interpretive service to healthcare professionals throughout the Trust and commissioning PCT. Further details may be found at: - http://www.tdlpathology.com/home
Microbiology
The microbiology laboratories at Homerton provide a 24-hour quality diagnostic, interpretative and clinical service which includes antibiotic TDM, screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by NAATs, diagnosis and monitoring of TB by Interferon-gamma release (Quantiferon) ELISA in addition to the normal compliment of assays and testing necessary for identifying specific infections and their corresponding (antibiotic) sensitivities.
Cytopathology & Histology
Cytopathology is a branch of pathology that studies and diagnoses diseases on the cellular level. The most common use of cytopathology is the smear test, used to detect cervical cancer at an early, treatable stage.
Both Cytology and Histopathology services are currently performed by the Royal London Cellular Pathology service on behalf of the Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust. Further details may be found through their website at: -
http://www.bartsandthelondon.nhs.uk/for-clinicians/gp-referral-guide/cellular-pathology/
Pathology IT services
Pathology has an independent IT service which supports Pathology IT issues such as Order Comms (OCS) and electronic reporting mechanisms (e.g. CliniSys CyberLab and GP Links.)
Quality department
The pathology quality department at the Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is responsible for promoting continuous quality improvement, ensuring implementation of a robust quality management system by all disciplines within Pathology and maintaining compliance with (haemovigilance) regulatory and accreditation (CPA UK Ltd.) requirements.
Point of Care Testing (POCT)
Currently the remit of the Homerton University Hospital POCT service does not extend beyond the Hospital Trust. However, please feel free to contact our POCT team for advice on the appropriate use and commissioning of POCT instrumentation to meet your requirements (karen.stade@homerton.nhs.uk.)
Research & Development
The Clinical Biochemistry department has long-standing interests in the field of vitamin D research, with particular emphasis on the role of vitamin D in the coordination of host inflammatory responses involved with collagen deposition and degradation in fibrosis (liver, kidney, pulmonary etc.,) plaque instability in cardiovascular disease and the arrest of chronic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HBV and HIV through supplementation with Vitamin D.
The department has fostered strong links with researchers from as far afield as New Zealand and South Africa and has several collaborations ongoing within the hospital and in centres across the UK. Please contact Peter Timms for further information (peter.timms@homerton.nhs.uk.)
Pathology news
This section contains information on new technologies and assays in addition to upcoming changes to service provision such as alterations to test reference ranges or reportable units.
Your feedback about our Pathology services
Please let us know what you think about our pathology services...
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