A six-year-old boy has become the first child in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to go behind the scenes of hospital laboratories as part of an initiative designed to help young patients better understand their healthcare.
Matthew McGlone, who attends the Royal Hospital for Children as an outpatient, was invited to take part in the first Harvey’s Lab Tour at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus after impressing staff with his curiosity about what happens to blood samples once they are taken.
Matthew, from Greenock, has attended hospital appointments since birth for severe eczema and an orthopaedic condition affecting his feet.
He recently had blood taken as part of his care and, rather than looking away during the procedure, he was keen to watch and asked lots of questions about where his sample would go and what would happen next.
That curiosity led to him becoming the first child in NHSGGC to experience Harvey’s Lab Tours, a programme that gives children, young people and their families the opportunity to go behind laboratory doors, meet biomedical scientists and discover how samples are tested to help diagnose and monitor health conditions.
During the tour Matthew, who was given his own Lab coat and scientist bear, followed the journey of a blood sample through the laboratory.
He also saw some of the testing processes carried out behind the scenes and learned more about the vital role laboratory staff play in patient care.
His mum, Ashley McGlone, said: “Matthew has always been fascinated by science and the human body. He loves reading and listening to books about medicine and is constantly asking questions about how things work.
“Because he’s been attending hospital appointments for much of his life, he’s very comfortable talking to healthcare staff and always wants to know more about what they’re doing and why.
“When we heard about the laboratory tour through the hospital Play Team, we thought it was a fantastic idea. It gives children the chance to understand what’s happening behind the scenes and helps them feel more involved in their own care.
“For children who spend a lot of time in hospital, knowledge can be really empowering. Being able to see where samples go and understand why tests are important helps make everything feel less daunting and gives them a greater sense of control.”
After the tour Matthew, who was joined by mum Ashley and dad Thomas, said: “It was amazing and special, I loved it.”
Harvey’s Lab Tours provide young patients and their families with a unique opportunity to step behind the laboratory doors and see first-hand what happens to samples after they leave the clinic.
The tours can help children better understand the importance of blood tests and other investigations, meet the biomedical scientists who work behind the scenes, and feel more confident and informed about their healthcare journey.
For families, the visits provide a relaxed setting to ask questions, learn more about the testing process and gain a greater understanding of how laboratory results support patient care.
Originally launched at Worthing Hospital in 2013, Harvey’s Lab Tours began when seven-year-old Harvey Baldwin, who was receiving treatment for leukaemia, was invited to visit the pathology laboratory and follow his own blood sample through the testing process. The experience inspired a programme that has since spread to laboratories across the UK.
Now, for the first time, the tours are being offered within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with Specialist Biomedical Scientists Stephanie Dymond and Ainsley Steel and colleagues from the QEUH labs volunteering their time to lead visits.
Stephanie said: “Many children have blood tests and other samples taken as part of their care, but very few get the opportunity to see what happens next.
“Harvey’s Lab Tours help bring that journey to life by showing young patients how their samples are processed and how laboratory testing supports the care and treatment they receive.
“We hope the tours will help children and their families feel more informed, reassured and connected to their healthcare journey. They also give our staff a valuable opportunity to meet the patients behind the samples and see the difference their work makes every day.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch children engage with science, ask questions and gain confidence through the experience.”
By helping children connect the tests they undergo with the treatment they receive, Harvey’s Lab Tours aim to reduce anxiety, build understanding and make hospital visits a more positive experience.
Harvey’s Lab Tours in NHSGGC are currently being offered to paediatric outpatients. For more information, or to book a tour, please contact ggc.harveys.labtours@nhs.scot.
