COVID-19 Instructions and Risk Assessments
All instructions and risk assessments for testing in patients with suspected or positive COVID-19 are listed below. This page will hold the most up to date version.
Abbott Freestyle Precision Pro glucose meters
Abbott i-STAT analyser
Roche influenza point of care unit
- POC influenza risk assessment
- POC influenza instruction
Hemocue Hb and WBC
Haematology QEUH
- Haemochrom risk assessment
- Rotem risk assessment
- Verify Now risk assessment
- Chairperson NHSGGC POCT Committee: Andrew Kerry, Consultant Clinical Scientist, Royal Alexandra Hospital
Please contact the relevant laboratory discipline in your sector if you are considering introducing a new POCT service in your area. Staff will be happy to talk you through the process and direct you to the paperwork required prior to approval and introduction of any service. As a first step we would encourage you to read the POCT policy and POCT checklist.
No new POCT service will be introduced or supported by the committee unless the POCT checklist is completed and signed off.
POCT Useful Documentation
What is Internal Quality Control?
Internal quality control (IQC) involves analysis of control material of known concentration within predefined limits. This ensures the quality of the results produced prior to reporting any patient results from the POCT device
What is External Quality Assurance?
External Quality Assurance (EQA) involves analysis of a sample of unknown value from an external, independent source. The results are scrutinised by the EQA scheme provider and allow comparison of results across multiple sites. Participation in EQA allows monitoring of performance and possible early detection of a systematic problem with analysis of patient samples.
Any site wishing to introduce a new POCT service must enrol in a recognised EQA scheme.
Audit
The POCT team will perform audit of the service and provide feedback to the service lead. The audit outcomes and any corrective and preventative action are documented in the laboratory quality management system.
The NHSGGC Point of Care Testing (POCT) committee meets bi-annually with the aim of policy-making and review of sector POCT groups. The committee also includes Primary Care representation with the aim of guiding appropriate POCT governance in the community. The POCT Co-ordinators management group meets bi-monthly, with multidisciplinary representation and includes user representation where appropriate. The group focus on implementation and monitoring of POCT activity within each sector.
If you use POCT in your clinical area you must ensure your device is registered with the NHSGGC POCT committee.
What is Point of Care Testing (POCT) Testing?
Point of Care testing is defined as ‘Diagnostic testing that is performed near to or at the site of patient care with the result leading to a possible change in the care of the patient.*’ This normally takes place in a non-laboratory setting by appropriately trained non-laboratory staff.
- ISO 227870: 2016 Point of Care Testing (POCT) – Requirements for Quality and Competence.
Potential Advantages of POCT
Rapid turnaround of results
- Reduced patient waiting times
- Earlier impact on clinical decision making
- Financial efficiencies
Less invasive
Accessibility
- Ability to reach remote places
- Improved healthcare access
Potential Disadvantages of POCT
Expensive compared to conventional laboratory testing
- Cost of consumables, IQC, EQA
- Staff resource required at source of testing
Sample quality
- Higher rate of pre-analytical errors are associated with POCT due to poor sample quality
Staff Training, competence and documentation
- Appropriate training and continued competency checks required to ensure accurate results
- POCT may need to be manually entered into patient record which is potentially problematic
Safety
- Clear protocols required for infection control, storage and disposal of clinical waste etc.
Point of Care Testing (POCT) Services Offered in NHSGGC
Please note, not all services are available in all sectors.
Biochemistry
Blood glucose and ketone analysis
Blood gas analysis
Urinalysis
Haematology
- Haemoglobin
- INR
- ROTEM analysis
- Verify Now antiplatelet drug monitoring
- White Cell Count
Microbiology/Virology
The West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre (WoSSVC) is a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited medical laboratory No. 9319. A full list of accredited tests can be found on our schedule of accreditation.
Please note users will be informed if an assay/result lies outside the laboratory’s scope of accreditation.
WoSSVC is located at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) and is part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
You can contact us by emailing west.ssvc2@nhs.scot or by telephone: 0141 201 8722 (38722 if located in NHSGGC). For out of hours clinical advice call the Switchboard on 0141 211 1000 (1000 internal) and ask for the on-call virologist.
The Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory (SMRSARL) was established in April 1997. We were created in response to a rapid increase in the number of MRSA infections identified in hospitals across Scotland. We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS) . Since November 2013, the Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The SMRSARL provides a national MRSA reference service for isolates from diagnostic laboratories throughout Scotland. The services we provide include: confirmation of MRSA status, detection of various toxin genes and epidemiological typing of strains. We also provide advice on infection control issues and have an ongoing research and development program. We collaborate with PHS to provide data on the national trends in MRSA epidemiology in Scotland.
The Scottish Antimicrobial Resistance Service (SAMRS) investigates carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales, Pseudomonads, Acinetobacter species and other healthcare associated Gram negative bacteria. We were commissioned in 2016 by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS).
The increasing incidence of carbapenemases across Scotland led to the formation of our service. From 2016, we began providing molecular detection for the ‘Big 5’ carbapenemase genes (KPC, NDM, VIM,OXA-48 and IMP). In 2018, we introduced molecular detection of OXA-23, OXA-24/40, OXA-51 and OXA-58 in isolates of Acinetobacter species. Finally, in 2019 we commenced our broth microdilution service. Broth microdilution allows our team to further screen for other mechanisms of resistance (including rare carbapenemases).
We investigate colistin resistance and other exceptional phenotypes demonstrated by Enterobacterales, Pseudomonads, Acinetobacter species and other healthcare associated Gram negative bacteria. We also provide cefiderocol sensitivity testing for multidrug resistant organisms (on request).
Since November 2013, the Enteric Bacterial Infections Service (EBIS) (formerly known as the Scottish Salmonella, Shigella and Clostridioides difficile Reference Laboratory (SSSCDRL)) has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The EBIS are the National Reference Centre for the characterisation of Salmonella, Shigella and C. difficile. We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS).
The EBIS provides antimicrobial susceptibility testing and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of these pathogenic enteric bacteria. The Laboratory actively participates in training, development and relevant externally-funded research and works closely with a number of agencies including PHS and the Gastrointestinal Bacterial Reference unit (GBRU), London.
The laboratory participates in the EC-funded programme organised by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for surveillance of gastrointestinal infections.
The Diagnostic and Reference Parasitology Service (DRPS) (formerly known as the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL)) was established in 1982. Our aim is to provide an efficient and effective parasite diagnostic and advisory service for Scotland.
We are commissioned by National Services Division for Scotland, with clinical and scientific advice from Public Health Scotland (PHS). Since November 2013, the DRPS has been located within the New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The DPRS provides a service to Medical Microbiology laboratories across Scotland. The services offered include: diagnosis and identification of parasites in clinical material, diagnosis of human parasite diseases by immunological methods, advice regarding investigation of patients and the appropriateness of tests and finally, advice about prophylaxis and treatment.