All samples must be transported in compliance with current guidelines for the transportation of clinical specimens.

Useful links:

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/ohss/assets/documents/HSEBiologicalAgents.pdf

http://www.who.int/ihr/publications/who_hse_ihr_2012.12/en/

Local GP Practices

A twice daily courier collection service operates Monday to Friday, with evening/Saturday morning collections scheduled to coincide with late opening hours.  Please see the schedule for collection times.

To help the courier avoid delays, samples should be sealed in transport bags ready for collection at the agreed times.

Histology and Cytology samples are tracked.  Before the courier collects them, all samples must be listed on the 3-part tracking form.  The top copy (pink) should be retained by the practice and the other 2 copies placed in the special barcoded bag.  The bag must then be sealed ready for collection.  At the lab, the samples will be checked against the form and a copy returned to confirm receipt.

If you miss the last specimen courier we may still be able to analyse your samples the following day.  In this situation we advise that the samples are stored overnight according to our recommendations set out in the sample storage guidelines.

NHS Trust Laboratories

Local NHS Trusts – A daily courier service operates between most of the regional Trusts and our laboratories.  Because courier transfer times are short, most of your samples can be sent to us at ambient temperature .

Other NHS Trusts – Samples should be sent via Royal Mail or courier.  Please check in the Test Directory for any special transport requirements.

Please send samples to the appropriate site (RVI or Freeman).  The Test Directory will indicate which site carries out the test.  If samples are sent to the wrong site, we can forward to the correct lab using our 2-hourly shuttle courier.

Samples should be accompanied by completed request forms which show patient demographics, your unique laboratory identification number, the tests required and the originating location.

Newcastle Laboratories offer Lab to Lab links for electronic requesting and reporting of results.

Non-NHS Service Users (Commercial, Academic, Government agencies, etc)

Please ensure the samples are accompanied by a completed request form.  Personalised request forms will be provided on request or you can download a blank form (here)

Samples can be delivered in person to our laboratories at either RVI or Freeman Hospital.  (check our address and location here)

Samples can be sent via Royal Mail or courier and we can provide the appropriate transport containers to ensure your samples conform to current guidelines.

If you have any enquiries about shipping of your samples please contact us tnu-tr.newcastlelaboratories@nhs.net