Name | Telephone/Email |
BSPS Head of Governance- Elaine Inglis | Email:fph-tr.bspsquality@nhs.net |
BSPS Lead Quality Manager -Elizabeth Lomas | Email:fph-tr.bspsquality@nhs.net |
RBH Quality Manager - Vicky Lock | Email:fph-tr.bspsquality@nhs.net |
Berkshire Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) are accredited, by UKAS, to BS EN ISO15189:2012 and BS EN ISO17043:2010 standards
The repertoire of accredited tests is detailed for each UKAS number and can be found on the UKAS website .Schedules of accreditation available on the UKAS website provide the most up to date information on accredited tests within the BSPS network.
Each UKAS number is assessed annually as a surveillance visit, with a full re-assessment every fourth year by UKAS, to ensure continued compliance. After each successful assessment, a schedule of accredited tests is granted
If you have any questions regarding quality assurance, please contact fph-tr.bspsquality@nhs.net
Pathology at Royal Berkshire Hospital is part of Berkshire Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS)
Currently under review.
Pathology specialties are each an approved training laboratory for Generic and Specialist Biomedical Scientists staff.
Pathology participates in all the appropriate National accredited External Quality Assurance (EQA) schemes for the test repertoires offered (details are available on request).
Pathology take data protection very seriously and all staff are regularly trained on data protection and information governance theory and practice. We follow the Data Protection Act and the hospital and NHS guidance on the subject. Access to all personal data is via secure networks with password protection and the whole of pathology is a secure area with restricted access and acceptable as a safe haven.
In accordance with NHS guidelines, consent to take pathology samples is implied when the patient (or representative) presents the request form to the phlebotomist. This consent also applies for situations where the samples obtained or test results from them, need to be referred to other clinicians/ health professionals to aid diagnosis. Relevant personal information including clinical details and family history (as appropriate) may be sent along with a sample to aid in interpretation of results. The laboratory only refers samples to accredited centres (mostly other NHS trusts) and maintains confidentiality in all cases. The transfer of samples meets all UN transport compliance and is securely packed and protected by law.
In some cases it may be necessary for the clinician to acquire extra written consent before requesting a sample for such things as HIV and genetic tests. In this instance, the consent process is the responsibility of the requestor and the laboratory assumes that this consent has been obtained from the patient upon presentation of the request form.
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has information on patient consent which can be found via our website or by talking to your clinician. The trust policy on Consent to Examination or Treatment (CG090) is available on the Policy Hub on the intranet.
Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) prides itself in delivering high quality services to patients and service users. Unfortunately, there are occasions when the provision of services may fail to meet the quality expectations of our users. When this occurs and a subsequent complaint is raised by a service user we will take a positive approach to the management and resolution of the concerns identified.
The information outlined provides the process for the management of complaints received with regard to pathology services provided by BSPS and provides assurance to our service users and those acting on their behalf that their concerns and complaints are promptly acknowledged, undergo thorough investigation and that effective corrective actions are taken to prevent future recurrence.
BSPS manages Pathology Services across five NHS Foundation Trusts (Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Ashford and St Peters NHS Foundation Trust; Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust) and it is essential that where complaints are identified and communicated from individual Trusts' Patient Advice and Liaison Services, Complaints Departments, GP Liaison Services, GP contracts team, clinical teams, patients and staff that the investigation, actions taken and responses communicated provide transparency and honesty with investigation outcomes, actions taken and lessons learned.
The complaints management process recognises the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman's (PHSO), Local Government Ombudsman and Healthwatch and promotes the NHS constitution. A blame culture is not conducive to learning from complaints but it is by providing a just culture that continual improvement of services for our users is promoted. Within the complaints management process all BSPS staff are supported and given every opportunity to respond to the issues that are raised by our service users.
Patient complaints may be communicated directly to key contacts for each department, individual Trust Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS), Trust Complaints Departments at each Trust site or through their GP. Complaints received are escalated in accordance with the BSPS Complaints Management Procedure, investigated and a response issued within 25 days working days in accordance with the originating Trusts' complaints management policy.
Complaints received from GPs, CCGs or from Trust GP Liaison Services are escalated to key contacts as identified and investigated and responses issued in accordance with the BSPS Complaints Management Procedure within 25 working days.
Staff complaints when raised are investigated and managed within the Trust Human Resources polices.
A copy of the BSPS Complaints Procedure is available from the BSPS Head of Governance Elaine.Inglis1@nhs.net