VIROLOGY SURVEILLANCE
Sample transported by local courier service
GP practice Local Trust (referring laboratory)
Existing order comms
GP practice
Sample transported to performing laboratory using DX or Royal Mail
Performing laboratory
LIMS
X-Lab Labgnostic
GP practice GP messaging
GP surveillance request made from directly within the GP practice system using the existing order comms solution hosted by local laboratory. The result message returned to GP via GP links.
Electronic request message sent in local LIMS format to X-Lab using existing connection. The result message sent to local laboratory.
Request message received in the Performing Lab from X-Lab. Clinical message sent back to referring laboratory via X-Lab.
Fig 3. The LabLinks data and sample workflow. LabLinks uses existing GP / local laboratory relationships and infrastructure to facilitate the requesting and sample transport requirements. A relationship with the local laboratory allows for the agreement of the service and the provision of reimbursement.
vital information about local viral activity, allowing us to monitor and respond effectively to infectious threats in our community. By keeping abreast of the latest virology data, we can tailor our patient care strategies to reduce the risk of viral transmission during consultations and procedures, for example returning to the use of masks when there is an influx of positive results. This proactive approach not only ensures the safety of both our patients and staff but also helps to minimise unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, contributing to efforts against antibiotic resistance. In our patient population, many individuals are accustomed to requesting antibiotics for what appear to be viral infections, which can create challenging consultations. By utilising results from the UKHSA, we can emphasise that previous cases were indeed viral and did not require antibiotics, fostering greater understanding and cooperation. This comprehensive strategy supports a more judicious use of antibiotics. “Additionally, our participation in
RSC Virology surveillance enhances our ability to communicate the importance of vaccinations to our patients. We can provide education on how vaccines help prevent viral infections that could complicate health outcomes by using results which specifically relate to our patients. By encouraging patients to
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stay informed and take appropriate precautions, we promote a culture of health awareness and responsibility.”
LabLinks
The LabLinks workflow (Fig 3) is built on the existing relationship that a GP practice has with the local laboratory. The goal is to utilise existing systems and connectivity to embed the surveillance sample profiles within the already available catalogue of tests made available by that laboratory. These profiles will ideally be included within the order comms solution that the laboratory present to the GP practice.
The participating GP will be able to
request a surveillance sample online from within the GP practice system. This will negate the requirement for a handwritten request form. The online request will be received within the local laboratory’s LIMS and the sample transported along with the routine primary care requests, typically via local courier. Upon receipt in the local laboratory,
the request and the sample, having been booked in, will be treated as send-away work. The electronic request will be forwarded to the performing laboratory utilising the X-Lab Labgnostic network and the sample will be shipped to the performing laboratory using Royal Mail or Hayes DX. Microbiology Service Manager at
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Rebecca Walker explains how the process works in her laboratory: “The RCGP RSC Surveillance Sampling activity was something that we as a laboratory had little awareness of prior to being approached by the University of Oxford. Having assessed the proposed solution and recognised that it was a reasonably straightforward configuration to append to our existing LIMS build and that the impact on the laboratory staff was negligible, we made a decision to support the network.
“I am pleased to say that the testing and migration to Live was very successful and the volume of samples received has been exactly as predicted. There has been little to no impact on our routine work and with the auto-authorising of the results there is no impact on our clinical team. It is essential to facilitate an efficient mechanism to provide bodies such as the UKHSA with the early warning system they require and the LabLinks network provides that.”
One of the advantages of using the X-Lab Labgnostic network is the ability to create destination-specific manifests, that allow the performing laboratory to see what work is in transit to it and when it has been dispatched. The electronic request is received in the performing laboratory removing the requirement for manual transcription of a paper request form.
APRIL 2025
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