Cellular Pathology

The Department of Cellular Pathology provides a wide-ranging and comprehensive Histopathology, diagnostic Cytopathology and Cervical cytology screening service to both North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust, as well as GPs and other healthcare providers. The service is accredited to ISO15189:2012 with UKAS (Lab 8130) and relevant activities are licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (license 12413).  There is extensive participation in External Quality Assurance schemes.  The department is well-equipped and is housed in a purpose-designed laboratory opened in 2016.

The Department is open for service and opinion Monday to Friday, 09.00–17.00 hrs. Outside of these times, a renal on-call service exists and contact with on-call consultant staff can be made via switchboard. There is no general on-call service.

The diagnostic service in fully computerised with extensive databases. The current LIMS is Clinisys WinPath Enterprise. Results are all available through ICE and all requesting can be made through ICE.

The service has implemented specialist reporting to support the wide range of services at the Trusts. The consultants are members of one or more specialist teams working to common standards. Clinical consolidation of services had brought together the work of some teams whilst in others cellular pathology has instigated this. A number of the consultants support referral practices and, in all specialisms, consultants are core members of the multidisciplinary teams for cancer services.

The department works closely with the Bristol Genetics Laboratory for the provision of a portfolio of molecular genetics testing.

Services offered include consultation with clinical colleagues to assist in the interpretation of reports and to provide advice about the collection, handling, fixation and submissions of specimens for investigation.

A number of individuals in the department have research interests and the department as a whole is keen to support such activity within the Trusts.

The accreditation status of our tests can be found in the Quality section of the Severn Pathology website.