Point-of-care testing (POCT) is defined by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) as any analytical test performed for a patient by a healthcare professional outside the conventional laboratory setting. Governing bodies, including the MHRA, the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA), the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), have all produced guidelines and standards in relation to POCT. To protect patients and staff, use of POCT devices must therefore comply with these regulations and standards.
The MHRA strongly recommends that the laboratory is involved in the management and regulation of POCT to ensure that quality results are produced.
Description of Service
Our POCT specialty provides management and support for POCT services across several hospital sites in North West London.
The scope of pathology POCT service provision includes (though not exclusively) advice on the appropriateness of POCT, device procurement, device evaluation/verification clinical advice, overseeing of device maintenance, quality assurance, staff training, auditing and overall implementation of the POCT quality management system.
The pathology POCT team provides regular reports to the relevant Trust’s POCT Committee, which has overall responsibility for the service.
A UKAS accredited medical laboratory/medical diagnostic service No 8673
Available Tests/Devices
POCT devices currently supported by pathology POCT specialty include:
- Blood gas analysers
- Blood glucose meters (inc. ketones)
- Urine pregnancy test kits
- Hemocue haemoglobin analysers
- Activated Clotting Time (ACT) analysers
- Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) analysers
- Coagulometers
- Drugs of abuse test kits
- Bilirubinometers
- Urinalysis readers
- HIV test kits
- Thromboelastograph analysers
- Full blood count analysers
- Placental Growth Factor devices
- hCG device
- HbA1c
- Actim Partus (foetal fibronectin) kit
- Cardiac markers
- Lactate & Hb device
Blood gas analysers: Arterial Reference Ranges
| Symbol | Parameter | Unit | Ref.range |
| pH | Acidity | Log of [H+] | 7.350 – 7.450 |
| [H+] | Hydrogen Ion | nmol/L | 35 – 45 |
| pCO2 | Carbon dioxide tension | kPa | 4.67 – 6.40 |
| pO2 | Oxygen tension | kPa | 11.1 – 14.4 |
| cHCO3 | Standard bicarbonate | mmol/L | 22.0 – 29.0 |
| ct CO2 | Total Carbon dioxide | mmol/L | 25.0 – 30.0 |
| cBase | Base Excess | mmol/L | -2.0 – 2.0 |
| ctHb | Haemoglobin concentration | g/L | 135 – 170 |
| Hctc | Calculated haematocrit | L/L | 0.350 – 0.550 |
| sO2 | Oxygen saturation | % | 95.0 – 99.0 |
| FO2Hb | Fraction of OxyHb in Total Hb | % | 94 – 98 |
| FCOHb | Fraction of CarboxyHb in Total Hb | % | 0.5 – 1.5 |
| FMetHb | Fraction of MetHb in Total HB | % | 0.0– 1.5 |
| FHHb | Fraction of DeoxyHb in Total Hb | % | 0.0 – 5.0 |
| cNa | Sodium | mmol/L | 133 – 146 |
| cK | Potassium | mmol/L | 3.5 – 5.3 |
| cCa | Ionised Calcium | mmol/L | 1.15 – 1.29 |
| cCl | Chloride | mmol/L | 1.15 – 1.29 |
| cGlu | Glucose* | mmol/L | 3.9 – 5.8 |
| cLac | Lactate | mmol/L | 0.5 – 1.6 |
| ctBil | Bilrubin | umol/L | 0-20 |
Clinical Advice
Clinical advice for POCT is available from Dr Sirazum Choudhury Consultant Metabolic Medicine.
General Enquiries and Routine Support
All general enquiries relating to POCT service provision and routine support from 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday should be directed to the relevant POCT site leads (contact details below). Alternatively, please contact the POCT Manager.
Contact Details
The POCT specialty is consultant-led and the POCT manager is responsible for the day-to-day management and safe delivery of the service. The POCT manager is supported by five POCT site/ departmental leads.
| Position | Name | Tel no | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead clinician, POCT | Dr Sirazum Choudhury | 020331 (17004) | sirazum.choudhury@nhs.net |
| POCT manager | Gareth John | 020 331 21343 | gareth.john4@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, St Mary’s Hospital & Western Eye Hospital | Somia Janjua | 020 331 21320 or bleep 1022 | somia.janjua@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, Charing Cross Hospital | Sultana Hoque | 020 331 17077 or 07342 062 382 | sultana.hoque@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, Hammersmith Hospital | Gadiewasam Oshadhi | 020331 (32446) or mobile 07342062470 | oshadhi.gadiewasam@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital | Mr George Yartey | 020331 (55135) or bleep 0143 | gyartey@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, West Middlesex University Hospital | Sujan Gurung | 0208 321 5930, bleep 337 | sujan.gurung@nhs.net |
| POCT lead, Hillingdon Hospital and Mount Vernon Hospital | Esther Bahati | 01895 279209, bleep 337 | esther.bahati@nhs.net |
| POCT generic email address | imperial.nwlp.poct@nhs.net |
Out-of-Hours Support (Limited Cover)
5.30pm – 9am Monday to Friday
Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
Please contact the Duty Biomedical Scientist (BMS) in Clinical Biochemistry at the relevant site.
| Site | Tel No |
| St Mary’s Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 020331 (23752) or bleep 1022 |
| Charing Cross Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 020331 (17004) or bleep 8161 |
| Hammersmith Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 020331 (32113) or bleep 9022 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 020331 (55133) or bleep 0143 |
| West Middlesex Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 0208 321 5930 or bleep 337 |
| The Hillingdon Hospital | Duty Biomedical Scientist – 01895 279288 or bleep 5602 |