Consultant doctors' and junior doctors' industrial action may affect your appointment or visit to A&E - read more 
Microbiology services
Search the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust website
Service overview - Microbiology
Our microbiology departments look at all aspects of microbiology, such as bacterial and viral infections. The teams have become increasingly high profile following the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA and C. difficile as well as antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’.
Microbiology consultants and teams of microbiologists test patient samples sent to them by medical staff from our hospitals and from doctors' surgeries.
AttendAnywhere video consultations for patients
We've introduced video appointments to help us carry on seeing patients during the current coronavirus pandemic.
Many of our services are now using this resource. Visit our AttendAnywhere page to find out more and to watch a short video, which will help you understand how these video appointments will work.
Basildon Hospital - Microbiology services
Who the service is for
Healthcare professionals requesting pathology tests and investigations.
About the service
The information below is for healthcare professionals.
The tests offered, together with sample requirements, are listed in the Pathology Handbook at www.baspath.co.uk
The Pathology Department includes the following specialist sections:
Cellular pathology
Laboratory, Level C / Pathology Reception area, Level B, Basildon University Hospital,
Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Contact
Telephone: 01268 524900
Infertility semen sample appointment: 01268 524900 ext 8212
Opening times: Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 5pm
About the service
The cellular pathology department provides a diagnostic histology, andrology and cytology service.
Routine histology
Specimens are to be sent in 10% buffered formal-saline. Please ensure that the container is large enough not to squash the tissue, and that it contains sufficient fixative.
The specimen container must be clearly labelled with the patient's details including the NHS number. Reports from small specimens are usually available two working days after receipt in the laboratory.
Larger specimens and specimens requiring special stains or tumour markers will take longer. Please telephone for results only when absolutely necessary. If the report is required by a given date, please indicate on the request form.
Andrology
Post-vasectomy specimens may be delivered to the despatch department at Basildon. These are reported on the same day.
An appointment must be made for infertility semen samples by calling 01268 524900 ext 8212. Samples for male infertility should be delivered to the cellular pathology laboratory at Basildon Hospital within one hour of production. Samples must be received before 4pm. Leaking samples will not be processed.
Cytology
Cervical samples are only accepted with a fully completed, clearly written, request form. DOB is mandatory and the patient's NHS number and full address should be included wherever possible.
Post mortem examination
The cellular pathology department also provides a post mortem examination service.
The majority of post mortems are performed by the pathologists at the request of the Coroners Officers for the Coroner. If there is a delay in the release of the body following a post mortem requested by the Coroner, the Coroner’s office may be contacted on 01245 506837 or 01245 506838.
Clinical biochemistry
Laboratory, Level C, Basildon University Hospital,
Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Contact
Telephone:
Results Enquiry: 01268 524900 ext 3030
Medical Secretary: 01268 524900 ext 3018
Consultant Biochemist/Head of Department Clinical advice: 01268 524900 ext 3014
Opening times:
Monday - Sunday, 8am – 8pm
Outside of these hours the laboratory is covered by a single Biomedical Scientist, for emergency and urgent work only
About the service
The Clinical Biochemistry Department tests and analyses specimens, such as blood and urine, and provides the results to healthcare professionals including hospital staff and GPs.
The scientific staff who work in the department are available to provide advice and help with patient investigation, interpretation of results and discussion of clinical problems.
Electronic requesting and pathology reports are available to all local GP surgeries. The department is also able to provide detailed information on test requesting for individual surgeries for clinical audit purposes.
Point of Care Testing (POCT)
A point of care team provides support to all Trust point of care instrumentation including glucose meters, urinalysis machines, anti-coagulation meters. Support includes training, daily maintenance, quality assurance and troubleshooting.
Haematology
Haematology laboratory, Level C, Basildon University Hospital,
Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Contact
Telephone:
Haematology Day Unit: 01268 524900 ext 3141
Haematology Infusion Suite: 01268 524900 ext 8276
Opening times:
Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 6pm
About the service
The Haematology Department provides a range of diagnostic and treatment services for inpatients and outpatients, including:
haematology day unit (Orsett Ward)
haematology infusion suite
haematology and coagulation blood tests
haemoglobinopathy screening
antenatal screening
anticoagulant monitoring for outpatients.
The department also provides blood transfusion compatibility testing and issue of blood products mainly for inpatients but also for patients transfused at community sites.
Microbiology
Level C, Basildon University Hospital,
Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Contact
Telephone:
Bacteriology results: 01268 524900 ext 3557
Lab manager: 01268 524900 ext 3555
Infection Control Team: 01268 524900 ext 3444
Opening times:
Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm
Outside of these hours the microbiology laboratory will undertake examination of normally sterile body fluids and other specimens where the results are needed immediately to support patient care.
Specimens with abnormalities that suggest UTI can be stored in boric acid bottles (red capped) overnight and delivered to the Microbiology Department for culture the following morning.
Gentamicin and Vancomycin assays may be performed in the evening and at weekends, but every effort should be made to arrange these during normal working hours.
About the service
The Microbiology Department provides a comprehensive bacteriology, mycology and virus serology service including molecular and antigen detection tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of infection, for the Trust and local community clinics, hospitals and GP surgeries.
The department also provides an infection prevention and control service for the Trust.
Broomfield Hospital - Microbiology services
The Microbiology Department provides an accurate, comprehensive and timely microbiological service. This service includes laboratory diagnosis of and advice on treatment of infections, immunisation, and the provision of prevention of infection advice.
The Microbiology Department closely collaborates with the Consultants of Communicable Disease Control in Witham and local Occupational Health Consultant in co-coordinating the management of outbreaks of infections in the community.
Contact details:
Microbiology Department
Broomfield Hospital
Court Road
Chelmsford
CM1 7ET
Tel: 01245 515019
Fax: 01245 515017
Southend Hospital - Microbiology services
Our pathology team provides a comprehensive diagnostic service to the hospital as well as to South Essex Partnership Trust, the Spire Wellesley Hospital, the BMI Hospital and all GPs and community clinics under the remit of NHS South East Essex.
The team is made up of five departments:
Clinical biochemistry
Haematology/blood transfusion
Microbiology
Immunology
Cellular pathology
Our laboratory is registered by the Health Professions Council as a training laboratory and regularly undergoes inspections by accreditation agencies including Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE); our cytology department is fully assessed by the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP). These agencies assess the laboratory against standards of all aspects of safety, quality and performance
Clinical advice is available 24 hours a day and the laboratory service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Core hours range from 08.30 to 17.30 with an out of hours emergency service operating outside of these times.