The Tissue Services Department manages activities involving human tissues and cells (not organs) intended for patient treatment within Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
The service operates under a Human Tissue Authority (HTA) licence and supports the safe procurement, storage, testing and supply of human tissues and cells in accordance with national legislation and regulatory standards.
Activities are carried out by both Tissue Services staff and other University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) staff trained in the procedures.
Our service
The Tissue Services Department is responsible for the management of licensed human tissue and cell activities, including:
- Procurement
- Storage
- Donor blood screening
- Distribution
- Export
The service supports the use of tissues and ensures that activities are carried out in line with legal, regulatory and quality requirements.
Quality assurance and regulatory compliance
The Tissue Services Department operates under Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Licence Number 11100.
The service complies with:
- The Human Tissue Act 2004
- The Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) Regulations 2007 (as amended)
- Human Tissue Authority Codes of Practice
- Human Application Licensing Standards and Directions
The Human Tissue Authority is responsible for regulating organisations involved in the removal, storage, use and distribution of human tissue for patient treatment.
Information for healthcare professionals
Requesting allograft tissue
The Tissue Services Department provides a staffed service for requesting allograft tissues during normal working hours.
- Monday to Friday, 09:00–16:30 (Bank holidays excluded)
Out-of-hours access
A limited stock of allograft tissues is available for trained staff to access outside normal working hours.
Stored tissues are available:
- 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- From Med Room 2 and Storeroom 4 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
Donor screening and testing
The department oversees donor screening activities, including blood testing, to support the safe use of human tissues and cells for patient treatment.
Opening hours
Tissue Services office
- Monday to Friday, 09:00 –16:30 (Bank holidays excluded).
Contact us
Tissue Services
Tissue Services Manager
Tissue Services Quality Practitioner
Tissue Services Administrator
Out-of-hours contacts
Tissue Services Manager
Cellular Pathology On-call Duty Manager
Human Tissue Authority approval
The Cellular Pathology laboratory is approved and registered by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA). Human application licence number 11100.
Data protection
Cellular Pathology services comply with the Trust's Data Protection Policy. Procedures are in place to ensure the service and its staff meet data protection requirements and follow recognised best practice.
Announcement: Training and Development
For information on careers, training and education in Pathology, please see our Training and Development webpage.
Last reviewed: 14 October 2026