It is essential to notify the department by telephone before sending urgent work within the normal working hours (extension 7723). An "urgent" sticker must also be placed on the request form. Please do not use this procedure for anything other than true medical emergencies.
All specimens must be accompanied by a fully completed request form and placed in a self sealing plastic bag (one sample per bag).
Where appropriate, DANGER OF INFECTION labels must be used both on the specimen container and the request form. Please see Danger of Infection Specimens.
The following is the list of the microbiology investigations (tests) available ‘on-call’:
a. Tissue specimens from cases of necrotising fasciitis
b. Vitreal biopsy or aqueous tap from cases of endophthalmitis; for
The following is the list of the microbiology (investigations) tests available for patient management and infection prevention and control that will only be performed if the test result (obtained) between 2200-0700 is likely to alter the patient management such as antibiotic treatment or, reduce risk of cross-transmission of infection to other patients and staff).
Also, these tests will only be performed following approval by the on-call Consultant Medical Microbiologist (CMM)
Please contact the CMM on-call (via the switch-board)
Please refer to the Pathology Handbook-Microbiology for specimen collection, transport and/storage requirements and turn-around times (TATs)