One of the findings at our recent UKAS inspection was a requirement for three pieces of ‘unique identifiers’ on all samples.

 

Our assessor counted the full name as one and stipulated that we need a date of birth AND an NHS number or hospital number.

 

We have been counting surname and forename as two identifiers and not insisting on an NHS or hospital number.

 

I see this creating difficulties for our users who do not have access to our ICE order comms system which generates sample labels

which contain all this information e.g. district nurses, locums, A/E staff. It’s also not very practical on paediatric bottles.

 

The UKAS assessor has quoted the ‘NHS Operating Framework 2008/9’ as mandating the use of NHS number.

 

Has our UKAS assessor got in right?

 

Do you all reject samples without an NHS or hospital number? (CHI number for you Scots).

 

Thanks,

 

Wayne.  

 

Mr WH Bradbury FRCPath

Consultant Biochemist / Head of Blood Sciences,

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust,

Cumberland Infirmary,

CARLISLE, CA2 7HY.

Tel:     01228 814521                  Fax:    01228 814831

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