Blood sciences

Our blood sciences department provides a comprehensive range of tests, predominantly bloods (serum and plasma) but also urine, faecal and fluid including CSF (cerebrospinal fluid).

The laboratory is managed by highly skilled team members that include clinical (consultant chemical pathologist or clinical scientist), technical (biomedical scientists) and non-technical staff (associate practitioners, medical laboratory assistant and pathology support workers).

We provide a 24-hour, 7-day service.

Our blood sciences laboratory is split into 2 different disciplines, biochemistry and haematology.

Biochemistry tests are used as biomarkers for acute and chronic diseases for the following:

• major organ activity (liver, kidney, bones, heart and muscles)
• diabetes (glucose, HbA1c and ketones)
• hormones (thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, parathyroid and reproductive system)  
• vitamins and minerals (vitamin B12, vitamin D ferritin, folate, iron, calcium)
• drugs (both therapeutic drug monitoring and toxicology)

Haematology tests are to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of the haematological system:

• full blood count (white blood count, haemoglobin & platelets)
• coagulation (INR, APTR, fibrinogen)
• screening diseases (malaria, IM [glandular fever], sickle cell, thalassemia)
• malignancies (lymphoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma)
• blood film morphology

Not all tests are available at St Mary’s Hospital. Specialised tests are referred to the mainland. To ensure quality assurance, we only refer samples to other UKAS-accredited laboratories.

Our consultants

Dr Almusawy
Dr Tawil
Dr Kuz