Microbiology

About our service

The Microbiology Department provides diagnostic testing and clinical advice to support patient care. Our services include:

• bacteriology
• molecular virology
• parasitology
• mycology

Viral serology testing is shared between the Microbiology Department and Clinical Biochemistry. Clinical responsibility for these tests remains with the Microbiology Department.

Supporting transplantation services

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) runs the largest solid organ transplant programme in Europe. The Microbiology Department works closely with NHS Blood and Transplant to provide microbiological screening for deceased organ donors. This helps ensure organ transplants are safe and effective.

Who we support

The Microbiology Department is part of the Pathology Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB). We provide services for patients and healthcare professionals across:

• UHB hospitals
• other NHS trusts
• general practice services
• local authorities across Birmingham and the surrounding area

We also operate a satellite laboratory at the Whittall Street Clinic sexual health service in Birmingham.

Our team

We process around one million requests each year. Our team includes more than 100 staff working across:

• medical roles
• scientific roles
• laboratory support services
• administrative and clerical services

Infection prevention and control

The department provides infection prevention and control services across UHB. This includes:

• monitoring and preventing healthcare-associated infections
• managing infection outbreaks
• developing policies and guidance
• providing advice to healthcare staff

We also provide infection prevention and control services to Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The department carries out environmental monitoring and testing across the Trust.

Reference laboratory testing

Some specialist tests are sent to external reference laboratories. Information about these laboratories is available in the test directory.

Important information

The QEHB Microbiology Department does not provide microbiology services for:

• Heartlands Hospital
• Good Hope Hospital
• Solihull Hospital

Microbiology services for these hospitals are provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which is based at Heartlands Hospital.

Opening times

The Microbiology Department provides a 24-hour service, 365 days a year.

Core service hours

• Monday to Sunday, including bank holidays: 08:00 to 20:00

If you need an urgent test during these hours, please call the main enquiry number. Your call will be directed to the appropriate laboratory team member to ensure the sample is processed as quickly as possible.

Out-of-hours service

• Monday to Sunday, including bank holidays: 20:00 to 08:00

A limited service is available overnight. During this time:

• a small team of staff is available on site
• clinically urgent samples can be processed where agreed criteria are met
• testing depends on the availability of suitably trained staff

All out-of-hours requests must be discussed with a Biomedical Scientist by calling the main enquiry number.

Out-of-hours testing should only be requested when the result is likely to affect the patient's immediate treatment or management.

Urgent tests

The emergency Clinical Microbiology service can provide urgent examination of:

• cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• peritoneal dialysis fluid
• ascitic fluid
• synovial fluid
• aspirates from deep-seated infections
• pericardial fluid
• organ transplant screening samples
• intra-operative specimens that cannot be repeated

Blood cultures

Blood cultures taken out of hours should be sent to the laboratory immediately and must not be refrigerated.

There is no need to notify the on-call Biomedical Scientist or Clinical Microbiologist.

If you believe another specimen requires urgent examination and it is not listed above, please contact the on-call Medical Microbiologist through the hospital switchboard.