Haematology is the study of blood and its constituents in both health and disease states. We perform a wide variety of tests to look at a patient’s health status and to help diagnose and monitor various disease states. Haematology studies include the enumeration of various blood cells, measurement of blood cell parameters and blood constituents e.g. haemoglobin and microscope examination of blood films. We also cover blood coagulation studies and perform various clotting assays for patients on anticoagulant therapies or to evaluate a patient’s haemostatic response.
The Haematology department provides a comprehensive Haematological Diagnostic Testing Service for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the surrounding GPs. We operate a 24/7 service for full blood counts and blood morphology, coagulation work alongside various miscellaneous tests including malarial parasite investigations, ESR and infectious mononucleosis tests.
The service provides diagnostic support to our Haematology/Oncology unit which is a Tertiary Referral Centre for patients with both malignant and non-malignant haematological disorders (e.g leukaemia, lymphoma and haemophilia).
The Haematology Laboratory has two main processing areas which are Full Blood Counts and the miscellaneous tests which includes blood / bone marrow film microscopy and the Coagulation Section.
The Haematology Department is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No 8867. The laboratory currently is fully accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation Status (UKAS) to the internationally recognised standard ISO 15189: 2012.
Full Blood Count Section
We are equipped with three Advia 2120i Automated Full Blood Count (FBC) analysers. These systems process in the region of 1400 FBCs per day and provide fully automated reports for a large number of the samples processed.
Abnormal FBCs have to be investigated further and blood films are prepared and stained for manual microscope examination by our team of Biomedical Scientists. The laboratory is also responsible for staining and preparation of the bone marrow samples which are sent in from the Haematology Consultants based at the hospital.
We use a Starsedd automated ESR machine for processing ESR samples of which we process in the region of 400 per day.
Special tests such as Malaria, Infectious Mononucleosis screening and Sickle Testing are performed as requested using kits.
Coagulation Section
For our coagulation work we use two ACL TOP automated analysers, which process approximately 400 routine coagulation tests daily including APTT, INR and D Dimer tests.
These analysers also perform our specialist coagulation tests some of which include various Factor assays, Haemophilia and Thrombophilia screening. Many of these tests require Consultant Haematologist approval before testing as they are more complicated to perform and are not done on a daily basis.
Laboratory Location and Working Hours
The Haematology Laboratory is found on the ground floor of the Pathology Department which is located in Area 2 at the end of the main corridor next to East Park Drive entrance.
Monday-Friday.
Core hours: 9.00am to 5.15pm.
The laboratory provides a 24 hour / seven-day-a-week service.
Outside normal working hours, contact the Switchboard on 01253 300000.
A UKAS accredited Medical Laboratory; No. 8867
Click here to view our schedule of accreditation.