Wellington SCL microbiology department will shortly introduce a change to eclair electronic ordering for faeces samples and wound/general swabs. This will provide guidance on when a sample is indicated, and prompts for provision of relevant clinical details. As with most microbiology tests, relevant clinical details allow the laboratory to optimise testing for your patient, which may include using special culture media and additional susceptibility testing.
 
From the 6^th of July 2020 faecal and general/wound swabs that are sent that do not meet clinical criteria for testing (including if there are no clinical details provided) will not be processed by the laboratory and a comment will be sent to the requestor inviting more detail. This should be provided within 48 hours of sample collection. Faeces samples will not be processed after 5 days from the day of collection.

Wound swabs will not be processed after 72 hrs from the day of collection (loss of sample integrity). The criteria and guidance is based around best practice recommendations, including those of BPAC and 3D Healthpathways.

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