Pathology services at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust are part of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology partnership.
The pathology department, or laboratory medicine as it is sometimes known, provides laboratory and testing services and specialises in detecting disease through a variety of investigative techniques. Our work is vital in finding an accurate and early diagnosis and improving the prospects for treatment.
Laboratory Medicine provides in-house routine diagnostic services for Blood Sciences, Blood Transfusion and Microbiology, with 24/7 unbroken support for emergency medicine. A routine Histopathology service is provided along with mortuary and post mortem facilities to serve the Trust and the district coroner.
Details of referral laboratories used to perform tests can be provided upon request.
A level, junction 2
Rotherham Hospital
Moorgate Road
Rotherham
S60 2UD
Specimen reception: 01709 427553
Biochemistry: 01709 424241
Haematology: 01709 424236
Immunology: 01709 424250
Blood transfusion: 01709 727107
Microbiology: 01709 424242
Histopathology: 01709 424020
The laboratories within the Laboratory Medicine service provided at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust are a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 9623.
The laboratories work in line with the ISO 15189:2012 standard. The ISO 15189 standard is an international standard which outlines the requirement for quality and competence for Medical Laboratories. The ISO standard has replaced the Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) standards, which the laboratory has been accredited to since their introduction in 1996.
The accreditation process involves annual visits by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ensure compliance against the standard.
Accreditation provides assurance to the users of the Pathology service that we are providing the best quality service.
A full list of all accredited tests provided by the laboratory is detailed in our Schedule of Accreditation: UKAS Schedule of Accreditation - ISO 15189.
Please note that as of 11 April 2023, the Histopathology Service at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has transferred to the Rotherham site as part of the Barnsley and Rotherham Integrated Laboratory Services (BRILS) Partnership. All tests and services detailed within the Histopathology section of the Barnsley Schedule of Accreditation 8448 Barnsley Pathology Schedule of Accreditation will be removed following assessment by UKAS and the Rotherham Schedule of Accreditation will be updated to reflect any tests and services transferred to Rotherham, following an assessment by UKAS. Please note the department are in the process of submitting extension to scope applications to UKAS for the required changes. During this period, tests and services continue to be managed within the Laboratory Quality Management System. If further information is required please contact the laboratory via the contact details on their web page.
Some tests provided by the laboratory are not included within the Schedule of Accreditation. These tests are managed within the Laboratory Quality Management System. If further information is required please contact the laboratory via the contact details on their web page.
Laboratory Medicine complies with the BEIS Policy ‘The National Accreditation Logo & Symbols: Conditions for use by UKAS and UKAS accredited organisations (June 2018)’ and we therefore kindly request that where our users make reference to the accreditation status of our service, that they use the phrase “a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 9623”.
Laboratory Medicine is committed to ensuring the confidentiality of all patient sensitive information.
All data and information acquired while providing the services of the laboratory is handled in strict accordance with the Trust Confidentiality Policy. This ensures data is managed in compliance with all relevant legal obligations, standards and guidelines and professional codes of conduct.
The Pathology Confidentiality Policy builds on the Trust’s Confidentiality Policy in giving clear guidelines on the transmission of patients’ Pathology results and reports.
Please note: The Pathology service does not offer results directly to patients. Patients are advised to contact the Clinician responsible for their care to obtain their results.
If you have any concerns about the services provided by the laboratory please let us know using any of the contact options provided.
Formal complaints can be made through the Patient Experience Team.
Periodically Laboratory Medicine will perform formal user satisfaction surveys. The information gained from these surveys will enable laboratory management to look at the service we provide and decide how to improve it to meet the needs and requirements of our users, as part of our commitment to continually improve quality.
The results from our 2021 user survey:
We also welcome adhoc user or patient feedback at any time – please use the contact options provided above.
The laboratory has determined uncertainty of measurement for all assays where a numerical value is reported or used to determine the result, these values are obtainable by contacting the laboratory.
For other tests where a numerical value is not part of the determination of the result, the laboratory has undertaken a quality risk assessment in which all the factors that are known to affect the quality of the result have been taken into consideration and actions taken to minimise the risks.