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The London Clinic has presented the details of a £4m two-year re-fit and design of its in-house blood sciences pathology laboratory.
The pathology laboratory has been fitted out with industry gold standard equipment including ground-breaking technology in the diagnosis of cancer conditions which will enable a far greater volume of accurate tests to be processed, around the clock, seven days a week.
The official opening of the pathology laboratory was held at 120 Harley Street - in partnership with QuidelOrtho suppliers of the new biochemistry equipment - in September. The event marked a significant development step change with more innovation to come.
The new pathology laboratory equipment benefits Clinic patients, and external commercial clients with the following capabilities to provide the greatest flexibility of service, and simplify daily routines for maximum efficiency, examples of which are:
- ALEX 2 Allergy Explorer - rapidly tests for up to 300 allergens simultaneously and provides a wide-ranging analysis from a very small sample volume. Allergens tested for include, pollen, mites, cat and dog fur, insect venoms, moulds and yeasts, food, and latex, including measuring the total amount of IgE antibodies in the blood.
- Gold standard analyser - Automatic Chemiluminescence Immunoassay Analyzer BioCLIA 500 - combines chemiluminescence technology (the production of light from a chemical reaction), immune reaction technology and magnetic separation technology to support the diagnosis of autoimmune antiphospholipid syndrome testing, autoimmune celiac disease screening and vasculitis assay.
- Gemini – Used for anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG) testing. The Gemini is available as either an EIA (enzyme immunoassay) processing instrument or as the dual technology Gemini Combo which combines its well-proven EIA processing with highly sophisticated IFA (immunofluorescence assay) applications.
- Installation of track automation - for priority-based test profiles resulting in faster processing and turnaround times for clinical effectiveness
- Vendor database - for the collection and analysis of clinical data
- Cellavision - Automates and simplifies the process of performing blood cell morphology. The system leverages high-speed robotics and digital imaging to automatically locate and capture high-quality images of cells and allows clinicians to remotely review the slides from offsite
- Range of risk reduction mechanisms to maximise the accuracy of reporting test results
Fast Access to Accurate Diagnostics
Reza Mirza, Head of Pathology, at The London Clinic, said: “Over 80% of patient treatment begins with pathology testing and the outcome will determine a patient’s treatment plan. The investment in our dedicated in-house pathology service means we have total confidence in meeting our clinical colleagues’ and customers' high expectations. We understand that as a patient waiting for a diagnosis, or a medical professional who needs a speedy result to start their patient’s treatment, time is always of the essence. Our new path laboratory technology enables us to analyse an even larger repertoire of tests in-house. This is key to the fast turnaround of results now oncology patients can receive same-day blood results.
We can remotely authorise the blood results in situ so that oncology patients can start their treatments sooner. A further important improvement for oncology clinicians is that we now have Cellavision, a digital haematology microscopy solution that sends images to their desktops for immediate diagnosis. But this isn’t the end of the story. We are continuing to invest in a digital improvement journey to ensure all data flows seamlessly to our patients, clients, and external users. It’s a case of watch this space.”
The Clinic’s pathology laboratory specialises in the following full range of blood science services:
- Biochemistry
- Stem cell – the Clinic has the largest stem cell collection in Europe
- Immunology
- Histology and Cytology
- Haematology including routine haematology and blood film morphology review.
- Blood transfusion
- Microbiology including bacteriology, serology, and virology
Paul Hackworth, Director at QuidelOrtho said, “We are very pleased to be partnering with The London Clinic on this exciting laboratory refit. Diagnostic tests are the cornerstone for medical treatment and with the installation of state-of-the-art analysers capable of running high-accuracy tests. The London Clinic offer patients the best care possible.”
A Private Hospital with a Charitable History
The London Clinic is one of the UK's largest private hospitals and was granted charitable status in 1935.
The pathology laboratory development is part of an ongoing programme by the Clinic to invest surplus income as part of its charitable purpose to continuously update equipment, support research and train its staff to improve health outcomes for Clinic patients and to benefit the local community.
Al Russell, Chief Executive of The London Clinic said: “The London Clinic is unique in the independent healthcare sector in that we provide the entire end-to-end cancer pathway in one place, covering screening, diagnostics, clinical and medical oncology treatments, survivorship, and palliative care. Building on this capability is a focus of our charity to support patients and the wider community. The London Clinic’s modernised blood science pathology service is part of this commitment, providing high-quality and rapid results for many years to come.”