Pathology

This service is divided into five main areas, clinical chemistry, haematology (including transfusion), cellular pathology, microbiology (including virology) and central services (including blood tests/ phlebotomy).

Clinics

Blood Tests for children under the age of 14
Children under the age of 14 have a separate appointment based system.  Children aged 12 years and over may elect to attend a general phlebotomy outpatient clinic rather than the dedicated children’s services, with consent from their parent or guardian.  If your child has been asked to attend for a blood test you have a choice of 3 locations:

West Berkshire Community Hospital

Blood tests- for those over 14 years of age’

If your child is aged 14 and over and has special needs that make an appointment for phlebotomy services preferable to the use of the walk in service, please telephone Kempton Ward to discuss and make an appointment.

The Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust Pathology Department offers a 'walk in' phlebotomy/blood test collection service shared between Reading and Bracknell. This is a 'walk in' service, so you do not need to make an appointment.

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust operates an appointment only clinic for blood tests in the Phlebotomy department of West Berkshire Community Hospital in Thatcham. For appointments please call: 01635 273343.

Royal Berkshire Hospital (Reading) Open for walk in general blood tests: Monday - Friday 7.30am-4.15pm (except bank holidays)

Royal Berkshire Bracknell Clinic Open for walk in general blood tests: Monday - Friday 8:00am-4.00pm (except bank holidays)

Phlebotomy Outpatients opening times Hospital Outpatients (including Warfarin patient blood tests) Monday to Friday 7.30am - 5.00pm. Last patient accepted at 4.45pm.

Anticoagulation Clinic: Please refer to the Anticoagulation leaflet.

More information about Pathology services

How to get here

South Block, Level 2 adjacent to Pathology - on level 2 South Block and can be reached via the South Block Entrance on Addington Road or the main link corridor from the Royal Berkshire Hospital Main Entrance on Craven Road. Park in multi-storey car park in Craven Road. Join the Main Entrance block at level 2. Turn right past reception, passing the shops (signed All Wards and Departments). At the Welcome desk turn left down the Main Link corridor and follow blue coded signs to Pathology or Blood tests. This unit will be open at all times stated.

Concourse, Level 2 adjacent to Pharmacy can be reached from the Royal Berkshire Hospital Main Entrance on Craven Road. Park in multi-storey car park in Craven Road. Join the Main Entrance Block at level 2. Pass reception and turn left following signs. On occasions this unit may not be open.

Specimen drop off point

To avoid having to park and find the laboratory to deliver specimens, a "drop-off" point has been designated with an adjacent free parking space.

The drop off point is accessible from Craven Road via the site entrance nearest to southern end of the hospital. Please just put the bagged specimens through the flap and let them drop.

Some specimens that need immediate analysis and must be delivered promptly to laboratory reception, if this is the case, the test instructions will clearly state this.

If there are no special arrangements regarding the tests performed, then it is safe to assume that you can deliver the specimen to the drop off point at any time.

Please ensure that all containers, wherever delivered to, are:

• properly capped and securely fastened
• clearly labelled with the patient'sname and time of collection
• inside a sealed plastic bag
• accompanied by a fully completed request form

Staff details

RBFT:

RBFT Site Lead: Ian Sav

Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Service (BSPS):

The pathology services for this Trust are provided by Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services.
Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS) is a NHS contractual joint venture between the following NHS Foundation Trusts: 

• Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals
• Frimley Health
• Royal Berkshire
• Royal Surrey County Hospital

Each Trust benefits from a complete pathology service, delivered through a shared service model across the network.

BSPS is administered by a unitary management and governance structure. The laboratory services meet the requirements of the following:

• 15189:2012 and ISO 17403 standards
• The Human Tissue Act (HTA)
• The Blood Safety and Quality Regulations (EU Blood Directive)
• HRA (Eu GMP) standards
• And other statutory and regulatory requirements applicable across all permanent and associated facilities.

BSPS is dedicated to delivering excellence in the provision of pathology services within all aspects of healthcare, and delivers the highest standards of service to clinicians and patients.

Any other information

Please bring your Pathology Service Request Form (or letter for warfarin patients). Please follow GP/Consultant  advice.

The Pathology Laboratory provides a full blood collection service to both GP patients and Hospital Outpatients. A ' walk in' service is offered and the average waiting time is less than 20 minutes. However, patients are advised that clinic patients are given priority and waiting times during clinic times can be 45 minutes or more.

GPs are requested not to send patients to Pathology for collection of microbiology samples other than blood tests without making prior arrangements with a consultant microbiologist. Patients with communicable infections e.g. whooping cough, rubella etc. should not be sent to the laboratory for tests except by prior arrangement with a consultant microbiologist.

Nearby facilities

Refreshment points

• Convenience store (Main Entrance Block)
• Coffee bar (Main Entrance Block)
• Restaurant on level 1 (South Block)
• League of Friends shop and tea bar (Maternity Block)

ATM machine:  Opposite the reception desk on level 2 in the Main Entrance Block