About HSL Cellular Pathology
HSL’s Cellular Pathology Department consists of Histopathology, Diagnostic Cytology and HSL-Advanced Diagnostics. Operating on a hub and spoke model, our laboratories provide diagnostic services for multiple hospitals and clinics across North Central London, aiming to provide clinicians with fast, safe and high quality laboratory testing.
Diagnostic Histopathology & Diagnostic Cytology
Sites Covered:
- University College London Hospitals (UCLH) – Hub Site
- Whittington Health (WH) – Spoke Site
- Royal Free Hospital (RFH) – Spoke Site with clinical histopathology services
- Barnet & Chase Farm Hospitals (B&CF) - Spoke Site
- North Middlesex University Hospital (NMUH) - Spoke Site
Histopathology
The services provided include:
- Routine histological diagnosis, using a wide variety of techniques including special stains, immunocytochemistry and molecular techniques.
- Rapid-response laboratory histological service, based at the Royal Free Hospital site.
- Mohs clinic technical support at Chase Farm and Royal Free Hospitals.
- Frozen section service on request, pre-booking is essential except for unforeseen intraoperative circumstances.
Specialities of the Cellular Pathology department include:
- Haematopathology
- Thoracic pathology
- Breast pathology
- Head and neck pathology
- Gynaecological pathology
- Gastro-intestinal pathology
- Skin pathology
- Urological pathology
- Endocrinology
- Hepatobiliary pathology
- Liver pathology
- Renal pathology
- The department also provides a laboratory support based service to the Mohs clinics at the Royal Free and Chase Farm Hospital’s Dermatology departments.
Diagnostic Cytology
Diagnostic cytology is a specialist discipline that provides the examination of samples taken by non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. This is done by examining cells from fluids, brushings or fine needle aspirates (FNAs) to give a diagnosis of disease.
Opening hours
9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays and excluding weekends).
All samples should reach the laboratory as soon as possible and preferably early in the working day to avoid deterioration of cells. Samples should be received in the department by 4:00pm.
If a delay in transportation is anticipated, or samples have been taken out of hours, then they should be kept refrigerated at 4°C until they can be sent. There is no out of hours Diagnostic Cytology service.
All specimen processing is performed at the 60 Whitfield Street (60WS) hub laboratory. Cases received and booked in at Royal Free, NMUH and B&CF are transported to 60WS for processing and testing before being returned to Royal Free Hospital for reporting.
Department Laboratory Accreditation
HSL Cellular Pathology is a UKAS Accredited Medical Laboratory No. 9007 (UKAS schedule of accreditation).
The department is IBMS-approved for HCPC registration portfolios, specialist portfolios, advanced practice portfolios, and the RCPath diagnostic histopathology reporting post graduate diploma and actively promotes the training and continual development of its staff to ensure we retain the highest levels of professional and academic excellence.
Combining UCLH and RFH Consultant histopathologist groups, they are tertiary referral centres for hospitals throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland and over 200 overseas hospitals. UCLH and RFH are part of the North London Cancer Network, which co-ordinates cancer services in specialist pathology for the North Thames Central Sector of London.
Staff have the opportunity to experience and specialise in all the areas of the laboratory.