Reporting of Results

Biochemical Genetics

• Reports from samples taken within the hospital will be issued to the appropriate ward.
• Reports for samples sent from other hospitals will be sent to the referring hospital's pathology department.
• Reports from samples sent from abroad will be sent to the referring clinician.
• Positive diagnostic results are telephoned to the referring consultant by our duty consultant. The referring laboratory is also informed of positive diagnostic results by a senior member of the appropriate section.
• Urgent results, such as for prenatal diagnoses, may be sent by secure fax transmission. These will always be followed by a written report sent within 24 hours.
• Results will not be communicated to patients or their relatives or to any unauthorised person with the following exception: phenylalanine levels of treated PKU patients may be given to parents if authorised by the doctor or dietician.

Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics

• Results are sent to the referring clinician, the clinician's secretary or the clinic sister.
  Prenatal results and rapid FISH results on neonates are faxed to the appropriate antenatal clinic, ward or clinician if a secure fax number was provided on the referral card.
• In response to telephone enquiries, normal results or those which confirm a previous finding are given to a clinician's secretary or the clinic sister. All other results are given to medically qualified clinicians, unless otherwise instructed.
• Fetal sex is not divulged in telephone reports.
• Complex abnormal results are normally given by telephone to allow the interpretation and implication discussed prior to the written report being sent.
• Non-urgent samples lacking adequate details of the referring clinician or hospital will not be reported until the laboratory is contacted by the referring centre and provided with appropriate confirmatory details. This strategy, which is necessary to preserve patient confidentiality, may lead to increased reporting times.