Chemical pathology involves studying the biochemical content of blood, urine and other body fluids.
Chemical pathology provides a full range of laboratory and clinical services incorporating routine biochemistry, lipids, endocrinology and specific proteins. This is performed using automated biochemistry analysers, HPLC and other forms of chromatography, immunoassay, ELISA techniques and electrophoresis. The department also provides help and advice on the implementation and monitoring of point-of-care testing systems, including blood glucose, coagulation, haemoglobin and automated blood gas analysis.
Haematology is the study and treatment of diseases of the blood cells and bone marrow such as anaemia, leukaemia, lymphoma and clotting abnormalities.
The Haematology laboratory provides full blood count (FBC) investigations, blood cell morphology, erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR), glandular fever and haemoglobinopathy screening. A routine coagulation service provides clotting screens, INRs for warfarin monitoring, heparin monitoring and D-dimer analysis.
Within each discipline there is a specialist team of medical doctors, consultants, scientists, technical, support and IT staff who work together to ensure quality of results and interpretation are given to hospital staff and general practitioners (GPs).