Turn around times can vary dependent on test being requested. Please contact your GP or Requesting clinician for the turnaround time.

A comprehensive, analytical, interpretive and clinical advisory laboratory based service is provided to:

• Hospital In-patient, Out-patient and Day Care Units,
• General Practitioners in Primary Care and Community Health Services and Hospitals,
• Public Health Medicine,
• NHSL Occupational Health and Safety Service (SALUS) and
• Procurators Fiscal in Hamilton, Airdrie and Lanark.

The laboratories are involved in over 70% of diagnoses made in the NHS and we provide a comprehensive, efficient analytical, clinical advisory and educational service of the highest quality to all our users. It is continuously improving all its processes and services to ensure timely, accurate test results are available for swift diagnosis and hence treatment of our patients.

The Laboratories support point of care testing directly in wards and clinics and at local Health Centres e.g. one stop breast, anticoagulant and diabetes clinics and provide training for patients in self use devices e.g. diabetes monitoring.

In addition, the services collaborate in a range of research and development and clinical audit projects with clinicians and other Healthcare professionals and provide research and development support to drug and diagnostic companies.

A staff of around 350 provide services to a Lanarkshire population of 563,000 with a total of more than 12 million investigations per annum. Approximately 50% of the investigations are carried out for hospital based patients and 50% for the 360 General Practitioners in around 100 locations. Population screening programmes include Cervical Cytology, Blood Borne Virus Testing (e.g. antenatal screening) and other investigations linked to programmes of health improvement across the county.

The service is provided by various professionals including:

• Biomedical Scientists,
• Administrative and Clerical Staff,
• Clinical Scientists,
• Cytology Screeners,
• Medical Laboratory Assistants,
• Medical Staff,
• Mortuary Staff,
• Nursing Staff and
• Phlebotomy Staff.

All staff adhere to NHS Lanarkshire polices on confidentiality and data protection.

The departments operate to provide a quality laboratory service and ensure the safety of patients. We are fully committed to meeting international standards ISO: 15189:2022, and are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Details of the accreditation status for each of the departments can be found at https://www.ukas.com/search-accredited-organisations.

Note that a limited number of tests are currently not accredited through this scheme.

The Clinical Laboratories adhere to NHS Lanarkshire policies for service user complaints.

The Laboratory values the feedback of its users and patients and is committed to continually improving the service provided.  Patients are able to provide feedback through care opinion.

If you have any queries regarding your personal data then please refer to NHS Lanarkshire’s data protection page.