welearn Wednesday: Collection and transportation of samples

March 23, 2023

Each month as part of welearn Wednesdays we present a new learning pack identified as a key learning topic from local serious incidents, investigations, complaints, litigation, or coroner cases. The learning may not have a direct link to your area of work; however, the learning provides an opportunity to reflect on some of the wider issues that could be useful for you to consider.

This month’s welearn is taking learning from incidents and complaints which have identified a delay in care because of ‘missing samples’; therefore, a deep dive by the welearn group was performed of relevant incidents reported.

The learning from this insight identified issues and near misses of samples not arriving with the Lab, incorrect labelling of samples, contamination of samples and samples sent to the wrong lab. This had a negative impact on the patients including having to return for swabs (poor experience and reputational impact), delay in clinical decision making and delay in discharge (safety and quality).

For more information please see the welearn March newsletter. Please also see the pre-analytical errors document from Black Country Pathology.

If you would like to be involved in the welearn user reference group, please email marsha.jones3@nhs.net