Enquiries: 01305 251150

Updated 26 September 2024

The Blood Sciences Department offers Biochemistry, Haematology, and Coagulation testing and advice to DCH, local community hospitals, general practitioners, and other users.

Requesting

The specimens for each patient must be accompanied by a blood sciences request form. Both the specimens and the request form must follow the Blood Science and Hospital Transfusion Laboratory Specimen and Request Form Acceptance Criteria.

Clinicians should request tests using ICE and the use of Through Numbering, which must include sufficient and relevant clinical details as required per test, this will include patient details, such as medications, fasting etc - further details found on test repertoire (this also includes details about specimen collection, handling, transport, and turnaround times.) Click here to access the Blood Sciences Test Repertoire/Handbook.

Tests that require special handling or are time dependant can only be taken at Dorset County Hospital by the Phlebotomy team. Tests include but are not limited to:

  • Lupus 
  • Thrombophilia screen (include LUPUS)
  • Plasma Metanephrines
  • Aldo Renin
  • Gut Hormones and Chromogranin
  • Vitamins A/B1/B6
  • Cyroglobulins
  • ACTH

Specimens must also be transported to the laboratory as soon as possible after being collected, if this cannot be achieved, please ensure that they are centrifuged and kept refrigerated. Some requests may be rejected if the samples haven’t been kept in the correct conditions.

We also have a policy detailing sample collection. Click here to access the policy. 

Instructions for patients

Please find below our information for 24-hour urine home collected specimens:

For any other queries, please call 01305 254331.

The specimen reception hatch is open from 9am to 8pm. Outside of these times, please use the out-of-hours bell. 

As we are a 24-hour service, a member of staff will always be on-site and can be contacted on 01305 254331. Specimens will be processed as soon as possible after receipt. Please contact the laboratory to highlight urgent requests.

Consultant advice

For advice on diagnosis and the interpretation of results, contact the Consultant Chemical Pathologist or Consultant Haematologists (see contact details at bottom of this page).

Outside of normal hours contact Duty Consultant via the hospital switchboard.

Results

Reports available electronically through ICE. If results are not available on the computer an update may be available from the laboratory on 01305 254331.

Contact details

General laboratory

General laboratory
General laboratory telephone: 01305 254331

Moira Matthews (Head BMS)
01305 254334
moira.matthews@dchft.nhs.uk

Wendy Chandler (Training officer)
01305 25 4330 
wendy.chandler@dchft.nhs.uk

For biochemistry 
Dr Rasaq Olufadi (Consultant Chemical Pathologist)
01305 254333
rasaq.olufadi@dchft.nhs.uk  

Mark Wiffen (Senior Biomedical Scientist)
01305 25 4330 
mark.wiffen@dchft.nhs.uk

Rachel Flack (Senior Biomedical Scientist)
01305 25 4330 
rachel.flack@dchft.nhs.uk

Vicky Brown (Senior Biomedical Scientist)
01305 25 4330 
vicky.brown@dchft.nhs.uk

For haematology
General haematology advice: haematology.advice@dchft.nhs.uk

​Dr Dietmar Hofer (​Consultant Haematologist)
01305 253309  
dietmar.hofer@dchft.nhs.uk 

​Dr Anna Morris (​Consultant Haematologist)
01305 254327
anna.morris@dchft.nhs.uk 

Dr Richard Karim (​Consultant Haematologist)
Bleep 519
richard.karim@dchft.nhs.uk

Dr Jill McCormick (​Consultant Haematologist)
jill.mccormick@dchft.nhs.uk

Dr Jason Mainwaring (Consultant Haematologist)
jason.mainwaring@dchft.nhs.uk

Amy Taylor (Senior Biomedical Scientist)
01305 25 4330 
amy.taylor@dchft.nhs.uk 

Kat Ball (Senior Biomedical Scientist)
01305 25 4330 
katherine.ball@dchft.nhs.uk