laboratory index> North Bristol NHS Trust

North Bristol NHS Trust

The Trust was formed in 1999 by the merger of Frenchay and Southmead Hospital NHS trusts to form one of the biggest trusts in the southwest region. Specialist services include neurosciences, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, pathology and renal for Avon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

The Trust serves a population of over 500 000 and has 1 600 beds spread over 6 hospitals including Southmead, Frenchay, Blackberry Hill, Cossham, Ham Green and Thornbury. The Department of Clinical Biochemistry is split between the Southmead and Frenchay sites.

Addresses

Department of Biochemistry Southmead Hospital Westbury on Trym Bristol BS10 5NB Fax: 0117 959 1792

Department of Biochemistry Frenchay Hospital Bristol BS16 1LE Fax: 0117 957 1866

The Department of Clinical Biochemistry

Head of Department	Dr Peter Astley, Consultant Clinical Scientist
BMS Manager	Mr Mike Gillet
Clinical Scientists	11 (2 consultant, 7 B, 2 A)
Medical Staff	3 (2 consultant, 1 SpR)

Laboratory Organisation

The laboratories on each site are divided into sections through which the staff can rotate. These are listed below for each site.

Southmead - automated, paediatrics, toxicology, neonatal screening, biochemical genetics, endocrinology, Down’s screening and toxicology.

Frenchay - automated, ‘hotlab’, endocrinology, point of care and proteins.

Each laboratory contains 2 Beckman LX20s where the majority of the automated work is carried out. Endocrinology uses a Bayer Centaur (Southmead) or Abbot Architect (Frenchay).

Specialist Services

Down’s screening

The department provides the regional Down’s screening service for Bristol, Bath, Weston Supermare, Torbay and North Devon, with an annual workload of 10,000 tests per annum using Wallac Autodeflia.

Contacts - Ms G Harrison, Dr P Astley, Mr S Jones.

Toxicology

The department provides a regional service for most analytes. The section is split into clinical and forensic

Clinical toxicology: therapeutic drug monitoring (cyclosporin, FK506), drugs of abuse testing in urine (8,000 urine screens per year covering North Bristol, North Devon and Bath). Trace metal analysis: copper, zinc, lead, aluminium (both occupational and clinical applications). Poisoning: ethanol, ethylene, glycol, methanol and paraquat (urine screen)

Forensic toxicology: analytical and interpretive service to the coroners of Avon and Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset, current workload 500 cases per annum. The service offers full quantification in blood of opioids, cocaine (+ metabolites), tricyclics, benzodiazepines, SSRIs, salicylate/paracetamol, zopiclone and dothiepin.

Contacts: Dr P Astley, Ms G Harrison, Mr S Jones, Mr P Mace

Proteins

Based at Frenchay hospital, this department provides specialist protein services for the Avon and Somerset region and has an annual workload of over 12,000 tests. The section consists of electrophoresis (myeloma screening, Tau protein, cryoglobulins, oligoclonal banding, alk phos isoenzymes) and automated (immunoglobulins, caeruloplasmin, A1AT, A1 acid glycoprotein). The department also provides a specialist advisory service for the investigation of subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Neonatal Screening

Biochemical Genetics

Cholinesterase Investigation Unit

Contacts: Southmead Hospital

Consultants	Dr Peter Astley Head of Department
	Dr Helena Kemp Consultant Chemical Pathologist
Medical staff	Dr Berenice Lopez
Clinical Scientists	Mrs Gayle Harrison
	Mrs Ann Brown
	Ms Roberta Goodall
	Ms Maryam Khan
	Ms Sarah Pill

Contacts: Frenchay Hospital

Consultants	Dr Robert Beetham Consultant Clinical Scientist
	Dr Ceridwen Coulson Consultant Chemical Pathologist
Clinical Scientists	Dr Julie Wassell
	Mr Peter Bereford