Normal working hours are from 9.00am - 5.30pm. After this time a Biomedical Scientist is on site until 1am. From 5.30pm to 1am all blood cultures, routine urine samples and RSV tests are processed but other samples will not normally be cultured after 8pm. This is to allow cultures sufficient time to grow.

All urgent samples will be processed.

After 1 am an on-call service is provided for urgent samples. Urgent samples include CSFs, pus samples collected during surgical procedures and urines from children under 6 months of age.

Other samples will be processed following discussion with the consultant on call for Microbiology.

For antibiotic advice a 24 hour on call service is provided by the Consultant staff.

Please ensure that relevant clinical details are supplied with all specimens. Details of antibiotic therapy and any foreign travel are of particular importance in guiding investigations. For any viral serology please also include date of onset.

All samples should be correctly labelled with name, date of birth and case note number.

Key Contacts

Medical Staff

Honorary Consultant in Medical Microbiology/Virology (Head of Department)
Dr Nigel Cunliffe - 0151 228 4811 ext 2566

Consultant in Infectious Disease and Immunology
Dr Andrew Riordan – 0151 282 2165

Consultant in Infectious Disease and Immunology
Dr Stéphane Paulus – 0151 228 4811 ext 3745

Biomedical Scientists

Lead Biomedical Scientist
Mrs Chris Gerrard – 0151 228 4811 ext 2267

Senior Biomedical Scientists
Mrs Teresa Barton – 0151 228 4811 ext 2268
Mr Richard Coughlin – 0151 228 4811 ext 2268
Mr Michael Jagger – 0151 228 4811 ext 2268

All members of staff can also be contacted by email using firstname.surname@alderhey.nhs.uk

Tests performed in Microbiology

Tests referred to other laboratories

Authorsed by Paul Newland, Clinical Director for Pathology

Review date June 2011