This site is best viewed with a modern browser. You appear to be using an old version of Internet Explorer.

Turnaround times

For most routine investigations the laboratory endeavours to analyse specimens on the day of receipt.

Source	Turnaround time
GP / outpatients	Routine assays: analyse same day. CCG target 98 percent of specimens turned around within 48 hours.
Inpatients	Routine assays - under normal circumstances: target 50 percent (median) within two hours.

Routine assays are available across all three sites and comprise:

U&E: Sodium, Potassium, Urea, Creatinine
LFTs: Total Bilirubin, Albumin, Alanine Aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase
Bone: Calcium, Phosphate, Albumin, Alkaline Phosphatase
Lipids: Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides
Toxicology: Salicylate, Paracetamol, Ethanol (not available at the Churchill Hospital)
Chloride
Bicarbonate
Amylase
Ammonia
Glucose
C-reactive Protein (CRP)
Magnesium
Total Protein
Troponin I (not available at the Churchill Hospital)
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) (not available at the Churchill Hospital)
Aspartate Aminotransferase
Creatine Kinase
Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase
Uric Acid
Conjugated Bilirubin (not available at the Churchill Hospital)
Lactate Dehydrogenase

Other assays are usually associated with longer turnaround times. Urgent analysis, if available, may be arranged with the Duty Biochemist (bleep 1718). These assays are shown alphabetically below.

Blood tests

Analyte / profile	Frequency of analysis	Turnaround time	Available at:
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)	Weekly	14 days	JR
Aldosterone	Fortnightly	21 days	JR
Alpha Feto Protein (AFP)	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Amino Acids	Weekly	14 days	JR
Androstenedione	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)	Weekly	14 days	JR
Apolipoprotein B	Available 24 hours	24 hours	JR
Beta-hydroxybutyrate	Weekly	14 days	JR
Bile Acids	Available 24 hours	24 hours	JR
BNP	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Calcitonin	Weekly	14 days	JR
Carbamazepine	Daily (weekdays)	24 hours	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 125 (Ca125)	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 15.3 (Ca15.3)	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 19.9 (Ca19.9)	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carboxyhaemoglobin	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Chylomicrons	As required (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Citrulline	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Cortisol	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
C-peptide	Daily (weekdays)	24 hours	JR
Cyclosporin	Daily (weekdays)	36 hours	JR
Cystatin C	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Digoxin	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Dihydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEAS)	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Erythropoietin (EPO)	Weekly	14 days	JR
Ferritin	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Folate (serum)	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Folate (red cell)	Daily	48 hours	HGH
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Free Androgen Index	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Free Fatty Acids	Weekly	14 days	JR
Gentamicin	Daily	8 hours	JR
Growth Hormone	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Haematinics	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
HbA1c	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR, HGH
Insulin	Daily (weekdays)	24 hours	JR
Insulin-like growth Factor-1 (IGF-1)	Weekly	14 days	JR
Iohexol	By arrangement only	48 hours	JR
Iron	Available 24 hours	24 hours	JR, HGH
Lactate	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
Lipase	Daily (weekdays)	24 hours	CH
Lithium	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
Luteinising Hormone (LH)	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Macroprolactins	Twice weekly	7 days	JR, HGH
Methaemoglobin	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
Methotrexate	By arrangement only	6 hours	JR
Neonatal Bilirubin	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR
Oestradiol	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Osmolality	Available 24 hours	8 hours	JR, HGH
P1NP	Fortnightly	21 days	JR
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)	Daily (weekdays)	24 hours	JR, CH
Phenobarbitone	Daily	24 hours	JR
Phenytoin	Daily	24 hours	JR
Progesterone	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Prolactin	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Renin	Fortnightly	21 days	JR
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Sirolimus	Daily (weekdays)	36 hours	JR
Tacrolimus	Daily (weekdays)	36 hours	JR
Testosterone	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Theophylline	Daily	24 hours	JR
Thyroglobulin	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Thyroid hormones	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Transferrin	Available 24 hours	24 hours	JR, HGH
Valproate	Daily	24 hours	JR
Vancomycin	Daily	8 hours	JR
Vitamin B12	Daily	24 hours	JR, HGH
Vitamin D	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Zinc	Weekly	14 days	JR

Urine tests

Analyte / profile	Frequency of analysis	Turnaround time	Available at:
Amino Acids	Weekly	14 days	JR
Bilirubin	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Chylomicrons	As required (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Citrate	Weekly	14 days	JR
Cortisol	Weekly	14 days	JR
5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid	Weekly	14 days	JR
Metadrenalines	Twice weekly	7 days	JR
Osmolality	Available 24 hours	8 hours	JR, HGH
Oxalate	Weekly	14 days	JR
Albumin:Creatinine Ratio	Daily	48 hours	JR, HGH
pH	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours	JR, HGH
Protein	Daily	48 hours	JR, CH, HGH
Reducing Substances	Weekly	7 days (14 days if chromatography required)	JR
Porphyrin/PBG	As required (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Toxicology	Daily (weekdays)	48 hours (14 days if opiate confirmation is required)	JR
TRP	Weekly	7 days	JR

Stool tests

Analyte / profile	Frequency of analysis	Turnaround time	Available at:
Elastase	Fortnightly	21 days*	JR
Fat globules	Twice weekly	7 days*	JR
Occult blood (FIT)	Weekly	14 days*	JR
Reducing Substances	Twice weekly	7 days (14 days if chromatography required)*	JR
*If multiple stool tests are requested and only one sample is received then the turnaround times may be increased

CSF / fluid tests

Analyte / profile	Frequency of analysis	Turnaround time	Available at:
Alpha Feto Protein (AFP) [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Amino Acids (CSF)	Weekly	14 days	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 125 (Ca125) [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 15.3 (Ca15.3) [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carbohydrate Antigen 19.9 (Ca19.9) [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Chloride (Sweat)	As required (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Chylomicrons [Fluid]	As required (weekdays)	48 hours	JR
Gentamicin [CSF]	Daily	8 hours	JR
Glucose (CSF)	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
	Daily (weekdays)	4 hours	CH
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin [Fluid]	Daily (weekdays)	72 hours	JR
Lactate (CSF)	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
	Daily (weekdays)	4 hours	CH
LDH [CSF]	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
	Daily (weekdays)	4 hours	CH
LDH [Fluid]	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
	Daily (weekdays)	4 hours	CH
Osmolality [Fluid]	Available 24 hours	8 hours	JR, HGH
Protein (CSF)	Available 24 hours	4 hours	JR, HGH
	Daily (weekdays)	4 hours	CH
Vancomycin [CSF]	Daily	8 hours	JR
Xanthochromia / CSF spectroscopy	As required (08:30-21:00)	24 hours	JR

Turnaround times are based on time of receipt in the analysing laboratory. Requests from the Horton or Churchill Hospitals that require referral to the JR laboratory for analysis will incur an additional 24-48 hour delay.