Specimen Reception

Specimen Reception is the main entry point for the majority of samples arriving in the department. Samples are received via several routes: in person (delivered by porters or healthcare professionals), through the pneumatic pod system, or by courier from GP surgeries.

Upon arrival, Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) unpack and inspect each sample to ensure the patient details are accurate and the correct specimens have been received. Requests are then entered into the laboratory information system, and a unique barcode is applied to both the sample and the request form. This barcode allows full traceability of the sample throughout its journey in the laboratory.

Once booked in, samples are prepared for analysis and loaded onto the appropriate analysers for processing.
A dedicated Urgent Desk handles priority samples, including those from the Emergency Department and other urgent in-person deliveries. Please only mark samples as urgent when they are critical for the immediate clinical management of a patient. Incorrectly labelling routine samples as urgent can delay the processing of genuinely urgent cases.

The Help Desk at RSUH, also based in Specimen Reception, is available to support with general enquiries for UHNM, provide results to GP practices and clinical teams, and relay abnormal results by phone, as directed by the Duty Biochemist.

Specimen Reception at Leighton Hospital and Macclesfield Hospital is responsible for the management and dispatch of referred work to specialist external laboratories.

This includes:

•    Ensuring samples are packaged and transported in compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
•    Selecting appropriate referral laboratories based on specific clinical investigations required.

This referral process ensures high-quality handling of specialist samples, maintains traceability, and supports clinicians in accessing a wider range of diagnostic test not available within the local laboratory network.