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Home › Products & Services › Infectious Diseases › Laboratories and Reference Facilities › Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory (RSIL) ›Sending specimens to RSIL
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Sending specimens to RSIL

The HPA Centre for Infections routinely receives over 300 packages containing pathological specimens every day.

To ensure that specimens are processed as rapidly as possible, the receiving unit at HPA Centre for Infections Colindale, either the Streptococcus and Diphtheria Reference Unit (SDRU), the Atypical Pneumonia Unit (APU) or the Haemophilus Reference Unit (HRU) and the laboratory name (RSIL) should be clearly identified on the address label.

Full clinical information on the accompanying request forms will ensure that all required tests and interpretations are provided. Please use the SDRU, APU and HRU request forms where possible and complete all relevant sections. If you do not have these forms or are "running low", please inform our general office secretary on 020 8327 7330 who will arrange despatch of new supplies. Alternatively all RSIL request forms may be downloaded from the RSIL pages on the HPA website

SDRU Request Form
R3 Streptococcus & diphtheria referral form (PDF, 349 KB)
Streptococcus & diphtheria reference unit form - WHO Collaborating Centre - December 2010


APU Request Form
R1 Atypical pneumonia request form (PDF, 319 KB)
Atypical pneumonia request form, December 2010


HRU Form
R2 Haemophilus reference unit form (PDF, 313 KB)
Haemophilus reference unit form, December 2010

Laminated request forms suitable for repeated photocopying have been sent to many of our customers. To help ensure accurate data entry onto our Laboratory information management system the forms are pre-addressed and bar-coded. This also ensures reports are dispatched to the appropriate address.

If you have not received or require additional laminated request forms please contact
Tony McNiff on 020 8327 6533 or e-mail: tony.mcniff@hpa.org.uk tony.mcniff@hpa.org.uk

The CfI is in the process of redesigning all our Laboratory Request Forms. Upon completion of this project, the forms will be made available on our website, or contact Tony McNiff on 020 8327 6533, or email tony.mcniff@hpa.org.uk.

If a specimen result is required urgently, prior telephone contact with the receiving unit or laboratory will ensure priority.

To ensure that specimens are not subjected to needless postal delays, please always follow the National and International Postal Regulations.

The time taken to perform identification and typing tests is dependent on the receipt of pure cultures. Cultures which require purification may increase turnround time significantly.

If a specimen is received in RSIL which is unsuitable for examination, we will endeavour to contact the sender to discuss the problem.

If a specimen is submitted to RSIL for an investigation that we do not offer, we will return the sample to the sender (if they are in the UK) together with a report explaining the reasons for the sample's rejection.


Last reviewed: 22 January 2008