Introduction

Where clinically indicated, we offer blood & other sample testing, which are sent to local hospitals for testing. We can also refer patients for other investigations such as x-rays, and other scans.

These results are sent to the practice by local hospitals mainly via a secure link, named Path Links, and arrive in EMIS Web Workflow under Lab Reports. All incoming results are viewed by the Lab Reports Team, then based on the results, they are either filed or allocated to an appropriate clinician for further action.

Requesting investigations

Requests for investigations are made through TQuest: Open patient’s record → Add → Test Results → Online Test Results

• All regular GPs should request investigations under their own name via TQuest
• Any other clinician (i.e. locums, PAs, ANPs, Nurses, prescribing Pharmacists) should request investigations under Dr Sarah Hawxwell’s name

See ☕TQuest for further details

Add on requests

Add on requests can be done by receptionists and GP Assistants as well as GPs. If you need to add on a test, please contact Synnovis and a team member there will perform the add on request or re-direct you to the relevant laboratory

☎️ 020 4513 7300

📧 customerservices@synnovis.co.uk

Processing & Allocating Results

1️⃣ Housekeeping

Reports should be checked by GPs within 3 working days of being allocated

• Check that all results allocated to GPs the previous working day were filed or other action taken by GP e.g. active task open for the patient
• For any results which aren’t checked within 3 working days, please re-allocate these results to other GPs working that day
• If a locum doctor did not finish their allocations, or a regular GP is often not completing their allocations in a timely fashion, please inform the Clinical Admin Lead

2️⃣ Unmatched patients & users

The first step is to match the ‘Unmatched patients’ and ‘Unmatched users’:

3️⃣ Filing Normal Results

👤

Lab Reports Team

⏰ First thing in the morning, and then all day

1. Open inbox, and sort by the patients name (this groups all results for each patient together)
2. Filter only normal results, using the Filter button in the top bar
3. You may need to apply an exception (see the side) → follow these processes
4. Review to ensure result is normal → file as normal

4️⃣ Allocating Abnormal Results

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Lab Reports Team

⏰ After Normal Results

1. Remove the normal filter from the view
2. Apply any exceptions
3. Review the consultation to ensure any other abnormal results are processed together
4. If the GP who ordered the results is a regular GP, and are working over the next 3 days, ensure it is already allocated to them
5. Otherwise, if it’s before 12pm allocate equally to GPs working that day, and if after 12pm, allocate to GPs working the next working day
• If a GP is only working a half-day, they should be allocated half the number of results
• For our registrar GPs - please allocate half the number of results

⚠️

For patient safety, abnormal micro and FIT test results should be allocated equally to GPs working that day. Please also notify the GP if the result is being allocated to them late (after 12pm).

Lab Reports Process

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⚠️ Exceptions

Result	Action Needed
All abnormal urine microbiology	Forward to clinician
Microbiology	Must be checked manually
HPV	Assign to nursing team
Serum free light chains	Allocate to GP always
Gonadotrophins, progesterone	Allocate to GP always
Drug levels e.g., lithium, digoxin, lamotrigine	Allocate to GP always
U&Es	See 🧪U&Es
Lipid Results	See 🍳Lipid Results
HbA1c	See 🧊HbA1c and Glucose
Full Blood Count	See 🩸FBC
TSH	See 🧣Thyroid Function Tests
Vitamin D	See 🌞Vitamin D
H Pylori	See 🦠H Pylori
Vaginal Swabs	See 🚺Vaginal Swabs
Ferritin	See 🧱Ferritin
Folic Acid	See 💧Folic Acid and Vitamin B12
Cancer screening	See ♋Cancer screening
PSA Results	See 👴🏽PSA Results
Uric Acid	See 🧪Uric Acid

5️⃣ Friday Checks

If there are more than 40 abnormal results which have been allocated, but not filed, please report this to the Clinical Admin Lead

Radiology issues

All abnormal radiology results should be allocated to GP on the same day.

• It is preferrable to get the GP who requested the scan to review the result. This should be avoided in case of absence in which case, the result should be allocated to any regular GP working on site on the same day.

Did not attend/failed to book/cancelled

If a radiology result comes in, showing patient has not attended an appointment, didn’t book one or it was cancelled:

1. Send ‘failed to book radiology appointment’ via Accurx to the patient
• This tells the patient to contact the surgery if they wish to go ahead with the investigation
2. File the radiology report with a comment ‘DNA accurx sent’

Duplicate radiology requests

• Can be filed with a comment ‘duplicate request’.

Rejected radiology requests

• Will be allocated to the GP who requested it

Rejected requests

If any rejected results arrive into inbox:

• Blood tests: Send ‘repeat blood test’ via Accurx. Complete the TQuest form.
• The Accurx text message will ask them to book an appointment with a HCA, or to collect the form from reception and to visit a hospital or community site.
• Urine, Stool or FIT: Send ‘repeat urine’, ‘repeat stool’, or ‘repeat FIT’ via Accurx. Complete the TQuest form.
• The Accurx text message will ask them to collect the form from reception and/or sample pots.
• Swabs: These aren’t always repeated. Assign to the requesting clinician.
• If the patient doesn’t have a mobile number, task reception to contact the patient.

Haemolysed samples

If you encounter a haemolysed blood sample, please perform the below steps.

U&Es sample →

1. Order a new U&Es request (via ☕TQuest) and text the patient to please repeat the test via Accurx.
2. File the results

Any other sample → Leave the haemolysed sample allocated for GP review.

Any haemolysed sample in a housebound patient (e.g., bloods taken at home by district nurse team) → Leave the haemolysed sample allocated for GP review.