Point of Care testing (POCT) office is situated on the fourth floor, PCH.  The POCT testing team provide training in the use of Blood gas analysers, ketone and glucose meters RSV screening and RPI.
 
Only staff that have been trained by the POCT team or link trainers are permitted to use the POCT testing equipment in clinics, outpatient and inpatient departments at PCH, Stamford and Hinchingbrooke hospital.
 
Once trained note that you are not permitted to loan your identification card to another staff member for them to use to access the point of care equipment and if you change your identification card for any reason you will need to notify the department by email on nwangliaft.pointofcaretesting@nhs.net with the number on the back of your identification card and your full name and job title.
 
Periodic refresher training will also be required.
 
The Consultant Chemical Pathologists are supported by a team of 2 Biomedical Scientists and an Assistant Technical Officer. 
 
POCT testing at PCH has a workload of 341,000 tests a year.
 
POCT use Blood gas analysers located in the following areas:
PCH: Critical Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, Theatres, NICU, Delivery Suite, MSSU, ED Resus and Ward B12
HH: Intensive Care Unit, ED, SCBU, Labour Ward and Walnut Ward.
 
Please note that the type of blood gas analysers used at PCH and HH are different, and users will require training in their use separately.
 
Ketone meters provided by Roche Diagnostics Ltd.
 
Glucose meters provided by Roche Diagnostics Ltd.
 
RSV test kits are manual tests provided by Alere Ltd.
 
Registered Practitioner Training is carried out monthly as part of the Trust induction programme.
 
The POCT testing office is open from 0800-1630 hrs Monday – Friday, please note that training is by appointment only.
 
Training for glucose meters is generally on a Thursday at 1000hr in the Learning and Development Centre at PCH.
 
Ketone meter training on Thursday at 1100hr in the Learning and Development Centre at PCH.
 
 
Blood gas analyser training on Thursday at 1300hr, 1400hr and 1500hr in PCH Main Theatres.
 
 
At all other times, including Bank Holidays, the Department operates an emergency on-call service. For details, see below.
Our address is:
Department of Point of Care testing
Department 413b
Peterborough City Hospital
Bretton Gate, Peterborough
PE3 9GZ
 
Clinical Advice
The Point of care testing department currently consists of Consultant Chemical Pathologists, Biomedical Scientist staff and Assistant Technical officers.    Clinical advice is available from the department on a 24/7 basis. This will be provided by the Consultant Chemical Pathologist, or another medically qualified consultant on a rota basis.  
The POCT testing department clinical cover can be contacted 24/7 by telephone. To contact the duty Consultant please call switchboard on 01733 678000 (0 internally). 
 
However, as this is a point of care testing service clinical advice is generally within the environment of where the POCT testing is being performed.
 
Any equipment failures should be made known to the POCT team during normal office hours, outside of office hours please contact the Pathology Manager on call via the switchboard in the first instance.     The Department can be contacted by phone (ext. 7799) or by email for non-urgent matters nwangliaft.pointofcaretesting@nhs.net
If tests are required which are not listed on the repertoire within this handbook, the department may be contacted to consider requests for expanded point of care testing services.
 
 
Service hours
The normal ("in hours") day is Monday to Friday 8.00 – 1630hrs (excluding Bank Holidays). Duties outside these times are considered to be "out of hours" and are subject to the following protocols:
Monday-Friday 1700 hrs - 08.00 hrs
Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
 
The department is supported off-site by the pathology manager on call, please contact via the switchboard.