The Clinical Microbiology Department is situated on the 4th floor of Peterborough City Hospital, and provide both routine and emergency pathology services to PCH, Stamford Hospital, The Fitzwilliam Hospital, the district’s GPs, and to other Trusts. The address of the department is:
 
Clinical Microbiology
Department 413a,
Peterborough City Hospital,
Edith Cavell Campus,
Bretton Gate,
Peterborough PE3 9GZ
 
For general enquires telephone 01733 678468
(For other contact details please refer to the Key Contacts tab).
 
 
The department process in excess of 460,000 samples per annum that span the range of microbiology tests. The services that the department currently provide in-house include:
 
Bacteriology:             Microscopy and culture a range of samples, including swabs, sterile fluids, urines, faeces, and tissue samples. Sensitivity testing on significant isolates.
                                    Mycobacterial culture and microscopy.
                                    Helicobacter pylori faecal antigen detection.
 
Serology:                   A wide range of tests including, but not limited to: Antenatal Screening; Blood-borne Virus testing; EBV; CMV; Hepatitis A; Rubella, VZV, and HBV immunity tests; Measles;                                   Syphilis; Toxoplasma; Lymes.
 
Virology:                    Rotavirus and Adenovirus in stool samples;
                                   
Molecular:                  Flu A, B, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 testing; Respiratory virus panel testing; Mycobacterium tuberculosis (including rifampicin resistance); Chlamydia trachomatis and
                                 Neisseria gonorrhoea; Norovirus; Herpes 1 and 2 viruses, Hepatitis C Viral loads, Hepatitis B viral loads, Norovirus;
 
Fungal/Parasite:      Microscopy for faecal and urinary parasites.
                                    Entomological samples.
                                    Microscopy and culture for fungal pathogens.
 
 
 
As a department we continually strive to improve the ranges of tests and services that we supply to our customers/users. The above list is a guide to the types of tests that we provide. If the test you wish is not on the list, please contact the laboratory to check availability and discuss with our diagnostic team.
 
Other tests are sent away to specialist, or reference, centres for testing. For a list of these laboratories please click on the link at the bottom of the page.
 
Further details on the laboratories to which tests are referred can be obtained from the Department.
 
Clinical Advice:
 
The Clinical Microbiology department currently consists of Consultant Microbiologists, Biomedical Scientist staff and Assistant Technical officers.    Clinical advice (including choice of test, interpretation of results, diagnostic, prognostic or other information) is available from the department on a 24/7 basis. This will be provided by the Consultant Microbiologists on a rotational basis.
 
Consultants can also be contacted for clinical advice and guidance using the NHS e-referral service. 
The appropriate section can be found under:
Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Chemical Pathology, Microbiology A&G ONLY service.
 
Alternatively, if you need to talk to the duty Consultant consultant during core hours (09:00-17:00 Monday to Friday) please call the secretary on PCH 8436. Alternatively, the Consultant can be contacted by bleep via switchboard on 01733 678000 (0 internally). Outside of these times, please contact the Consultant via switchboard on 01733 678000 (0 internally).