Please ensure that request forms are fully, correctly and legibly labelled.  We require  full patient demographics, hospital registration number/NHS number, nature of specimen, clinical details, contact details of person in charge of the case, consultant/GP, Ward/location/GP surgery, date and time the specimen was taken. Hazardous specimens must be indicated on the request form and on the specimen pot.

The specimen pot labels require the completion of the full demographic details. 

URGENT specimens.  If a report is required urgently the request form must be labelled URGENT and ensure the specimen is sent to the laboratory as soon as possible.  If a report is required for an MDT it is helpful if the date of the MDT is stated on the form.

It is important to indicate on the request form the level of consent obtained from the patient. 

Where a request lacks essential information, efforts will be made to clarify such problems with the referring clinician. 

Where there are inadequate patient or specimen identification details the clinician will be informed and requested to attend the department, identify the case and provide the necessary details.  If the clinician cannot be contacted the request form and specimen will be returned to the sender with a "discrepancy" proforma to be completed by the clinician. The completed and signed proforma must then be returned with the corrected form/specimen pot to the department.