Blood sciences
The Department of Blood Sciences provides laboratory services throughout Wirral and is primarily based at Arrowe Park Hospital with a satellite laboratory located within the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology.
We process over 2.5 million tests each year. These are mainly blood samples but other samples such as urine and stools are also tested.
Our laboratory performs a wide range of tests. These include:
- Diabetes screening and monitoring
- Rheumatoid Arthritis screening and monitoring
- Thyroid screening and monitoring
- Lipid screening and monitoring
- Endocrine screening and monitoring including fertility testing
- Renal function tests
- Liver function tests
- Prostate screening test
- Therapeutic drug monitoring
- Infection screening
- Anaemia screening
- Warfarin monitoring
- Coagulation screening tests
- ABO and Rhesus grouping
Key facts about the Department of Blood Sciences:
- We have full United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation and offer a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year service
- Our services are fully computerised, offering fast electronic results to hospital users and GPs
- The services are provided by experienced, highly qualified staff who are in turn governed and regulated by external professional bodies.
Our department comprises of two main sections. These are:
Clinical Biochemistry
This service tests body fluids such as blood and urine. These fluids are examined for the presence of various compounds such as hormones, proteins, enzymes and drugs. This helps in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases such as diabetes, liver disease and heart problems.
We offer a wide range of tests, for example:
- Cholesterol and lipids are used to calculate the risk of heart disease
- Glucose is measured to monitor diabetes.
Haematology
Haematology is the study of blood, the blood-forming organs and blood disease.
The tests performed in this laboratory help in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions including:
- Leukaemia
- Anaemia
- Coagulation (clotting) disorders
A broad range of haematological tests are performed in the laboratory:
- Full blood counts (also called FBC’s) provide information on the levels of red and white blood cells, platelets and haemoglobin. Abnormally high or low counts may indicate the presence of disease.
- International Normalised Ratio (also called INR) is calculated by measuring the Prothrombin Time (PT). PT is used in assessing and monitoring the clotting characteristics of blood.
The Clinical Haematology Department has inpatient beds on Ward 30 at Arrowe Park Hospital, three are managed as high dependency for oncology (cancer) patients. If these patients have a haematological (blood) disorder and require inpatient chemotherapy or acute emergency management, they will be cared for here.
Co-located on Ward 30 is our newly furbished Haematology Day Ward, which provides outpatient chemotherapy and day case services.
Haematology outpatient clinics, some of which are housed on the third floor, include specialised chemotherapy clinics and general haematology clinics.
A dedicated anticoagulant (clotting) outpatient service takes place at Arrowe Park Hospital. This service supports patients who have a blood thrombosis (clotting) disorder. In addition to routine coagulation profiles, thrombophilia testing (abnormality of blood clotting) is provided. We currently hold three anticoagulant clinics each week.
