About us

Each year we process over 750,000 tests from all four hospitals within the Trust, in addition to Microbiology support for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and 80 GP practices.

We examine samples for the presence of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites which may cause a range of diseases from meningitis to urine infections, and work with specialists in infectious diseases and public health, advising on the best use of antibiotics both in hospitals and the community.

Accreditation

The Microbiology Department is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory no. 8639.

The scope of the accreditation can be found on the UKAS website.

We are continuously updating the repertoire of tests available, and this may be the reason some tests are not included in our scope on the UKAS schedule.

All tests are validated or verified and conform to the departments quality management system prior to being available for use.

Examinations currently outside our accredited scope and part of a UKAS 'Extension to Scope' will be indicated on the laboratory report.

If you need further details on any aspect of the our quality management, please contact the Quality Manager.

Complaints

We are constantly looking for opportunities to improve and update our service, and to learn from experience.

Please get in touch and let us know if you have had any problems in working with the Microbiology Laboratory.

Complaints, errors, mistakes and near misses within the laboratory are logged as nonconformity reports; a senior member of laboratory staff handles each of these in order to optimise the process in future.

Informal

Please contact:

Dr Lucinda Barrett: lucinda.barrett@ouh.nhs.uk

Sarah Oakley, Laboratory Manager: sarah.oakley@ouh.nhs.uk

Formal

Witten complaints from patients, doctors and service users should be directed to the OUH Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) in the first instance:

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If PALS is unable to resolve the issue, a formal complaint may be made via our Complaints team.

Complaints