Welcome to the home page for The NHSGGC Pathology Department. This Department provides a comprehensive diagnostic Histopathology, Cytopathology and Mortuary service for adults and children in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, including the laboratory part of the cervical screening programme for NHSGGC, Grampian, Tayside, Orkney, Shetland, Ayrshire and Arran. In addition the department supports a number of specialist services, wider managed clinical networks, regional and supra regional services examples of which include Gynaecological, Ophthalmic, Osteoarticular services, West of Scotland Heart and Lung Centre, Neuropathology and Paediatric Pathology. Mortuary services are additionally provided for the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal (COPFS) and Police Scotland.
Departmental Links
Please use the links below to access specific information for each of our laboratory areas:
User Manual, Request Forms and other Key Documents
COVID-19
The laboratory is trying to deliver as many diagnostic services as it can during this difficult time. All aspects of the service offered by the department during the pandemic have been thoroughly: risk assessed, monitored and their effectiveness re-evaluated.
Any changes to the diagnostic/clinical services provided by the department can be found here:
COVID-19 Current Changes To Service
Frozen Sections or Fresh Unfixed Tissue
As per national guidance, the department will routinely process requests for frozen section analysis unless the clinician or request form indicate the patient potentially being COVID positive.
Immunofluorescence, Nerve and Muscle Biopsies
Fresh samples are being processed routinely for immunofluorescence, nerve and muscle biopsies. However, if the patient is known to be COVID Positive, please can this be indicated clearly on the form so the laboratory will know to take the appropriate precaution when processing these samples.
Fresh Paediatric Specimens
All cases must be booked in advance (ideally the day before) by telephoning 0141 354 9478 and discussing the case and your requirements with the duty paediatric pathologist.
Andrology
The andrology service is currently operational with appointments available to bring a sample to the department or produce a sample on site (however, this is at a reduced capacity).
Electron Microscopy – Primary Cilial Dyskenesia Service
The clinic has resumed, to normal capacity and these samples are being processed routinely.
The laboratory has been inspected by the Health & Safety Team to confirm we are providing a service in-line with the government’s guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19.
About Us
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGG&C) Pathology Department is located at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) on the 3rd floor of the Laboratory Medicine and Facilities Management Building.
Laboratory Opening Hours
The Pathology Department is open:
Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday and Public Holidays: 8:00am – 12:00pm
The Pathology Department specimen reception is also open Monday-Friday 5:00pm – 7:00pm for the receipt and handling of specimens delivered by “late vans” and couriers.
Pathology Contact Details
Pathology Department NHS GG&C
Laboratory Medicine and Facilities Management Building (Level 3)
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
1345 Govan Road
Glasgow
G51 4TR
Scotland
UK
For General Enquiries:
Tel: 0141 354 9500 (89487) Option 6
For Results:
Tel: 0141 354 9476 (89487) Option 2
For Technical Enquiries/Sending Specimens:
Tel: 0141 354 9513 (89513)/0141 354 9514 (89514)
For Mortuary Enquiries:
Tel: 0141 354 9357 (89357)
Accreditation
The NHSGGC Pathology department has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), using the ISO 15189:2012 set of international laboratory standards. This assessment provides formal recognition of our ability to provide a high quality laboratory and clinical service across all our diagnostic specialities (Histology, Neuropathology, Diagnostic Cytology, Andrology, HPV Screening, Electron Microscopy, Post Mortem and Mortuary Services).
Where possible the department participates in national external quality assurance schemes for all testing procedures/medical reporting specialties. Where established EQA schemes are not available inter laboratory comparison or alternative external quality assurance schemes have been set up.
The full list of accredited tests provided by the department can be seen in our schedule of accreditation.
UKAS GEN 6
The Pathology department utilises the Telepath Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Due to the limitations of this software, we are currently unable to fully meet the requirements of the UKAS publication GEN 6 – Reference to accreditation and multilateral recognition signatory status.
This publication sets out the requirements of reports/results released by the laboratory containing the appropriate use of UKAS logos and identifying any tests that are accredited and those that are not. The LIMS currently being utilised within Pathology does not allow us to present the UKAS logo within our reports. Whilst it is possible to enter a small amount of additional text without any difference in formatting at the end of each report, the referencing to the accreditation of tests could potentially interfere or cause the misinterpretation of pathology results (particularly with molecular and companion diagnostic tests such as PD-L1 that already have statements at the end of the reports explaining treatment/scoring decisions and the specific criteria required to be met). Where possible the department is including a small statement at the end of reports if a test used is out of our scope of accreditation.
The Pathology department have risk assessed this. Although we are not able to present this information on our reports the department’s user manual and website present full details of our accreditation, including a link to the UKAS page for our up to date schedule of accreditation and a list of currently out of scope techniques including details of progress made to add them to our scope or reasons for them currently being unaccredited.
A number of investigation techniques carried out by the department are currently outside the scope of accreditation (see table below). This will usually be due to the technique not being performed frequently or being controlled/run by another department. However, the department will complete internal validation and IQC procedures before the implementation of any technique and participate in national external quality assurance (EQA) schemes or alternatives where possible:
NHSGGC Pathology Department Out of Scope Techniques
| Test/Investigation | Internal Validation and IQC | EQA Scheme Participation | UKAS Extension to Scope Status |
| Joint Fluid/Crystal Analysis | Yes | Not Available | Not in Scope |
| Mohs clinic (run by Dermatology) | Yes | Not in Scope | |
| Appearance and Viscosity for Andrology testing | Yes | Not for these criteria | Not UKAS accredited parameters |
| Digital Pathology | Yes | Not Available | In Progress |
| HPV Screening (Hologic Panther System) | Yes | Yes | Findings Cleared, Awaiting 3rd Party Decision |
| Hitachi Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: PAS+/-D* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Alcian Blue* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Alcian Blue PAS+/-D* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Giemsa (CFV) Alternative* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Perl’s Prussian Blue* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Masson Trichrome* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Jone’s H&E* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Reticulin* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Grocott* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Roche Benchmark SS: Congo Red* | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| CA1X | Yes | Application Submitted | |
| G34 & K36 | Application Submitted | ||
| CD303 | Yes | Application Submitted | |
| TCL1 | Yes | Application Submitted | |
| Gastric Her-2 | Yes | Yes | Application Submitted |
| Nut1 (Anti-Nut) | Application Submitted | ||
| Smarc A4 | Application Submitted | ||
| MMR proteins (Lynch Markers) for use in endometrial cancers | Application Submitted | ||
| PDL-1 (clone 22C3) for use in Gastric Her-2 | Application Submitted |
Laboratory Contacts
Main Laboratory Contacts
| General | External | Internal |
| Dr Fiona Roberts – Head of Service | 0141 354 9512 | 89512 |
| Dr Sylvia Wright – Clinical Lead | 0141 354 9558 | 89558 |
| Dr Jonathan Salmond – Technology Lead | 0141 354 9561 | 89561 |
| Steven Harrower – Head of Technical Services | 0141 354 9468 | 89468 |
| Suzanne Ferra – Cellular Pathology Operations Manager | 0141 354 9469 | 89469 |
| Nicola Small – Compliance Manager | 0141 354 9461 | 89461 |
| Gajan Sivarajah – Quality Manager | 0141 354 9540 | 89540 |
| Robert Cast – Mortuary Services Manager | 0141 451 5815 | 85815 |
| Kevin Smith – Mortuary Scheduling & Performance Manager | 0141 451 5795 | 85795 |
| Bio-repository Office | 0141 354 9490 | 89490 |
| Sarah Gilmour – Office Manager | 0141 354 9568 | 89568 |
| Histology Specimen Reception | 0141 354 9513 0141 354 9514 | 89513 89514 |
| Cytology Specimen Reception | 0141 354 9524 | 89524 |
| EM Enquiries | 0141 354 9422 | 89422 |
| SCRRS Enquiries | 0141 354 9524 | 89524 |
Consultant Pathologist Teams
The pathologist named first in each team, listed in bold is the designated specialty representative.
User Feedback, Complaints and Compliments
The department aims to provide a first class service. If we have failed to meet your expectations, please do not hesitate to contact us, so that we can attempt to rectify the situation.
If you wish to discuss a report, please telephone the consultant whose name appears at the bottom of the report, in the first instance. The consultant will be happy to review the case and seek a further opinion within or out with the department as required.
User Feedback Survey
We invite all our users to complete our user survey form. Please return via email to the quality manager. The information obtained from this survey will allow us to develop and improve the service we offer. We greatly appreciate the time and effort taken to complete this.
General Comments, Complaints and Feedback
For general complaints/compliments/comments on the service please contact:
Dr Fiona Roberts (Head of Service)
Tel: 0141 354 9512, e-mail: fiona.roberts@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Mrs Nicola Small (Compliance Manager)
Tel: 0141 354 9461, e-mail: nicola.small2@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Further information about the NHSGGC Complaints policy and procedures can be found here