TUH is the first site in Ireland to introduce this vital piece of new equipment. The purchase was funded by BowelScreen, a national programme which first began at our hospital.
The main benefit of the Axlab AS-410M is that it can automate one of the most time-consuming, manual, and repetitive tasks in the lab. This is a very significant development for TUH as the demand to test patient samples has increased by almost 25% over recent years due to significant service expansion in the Hospital.
TUH is currently in an expansion phase, increasing capacity in areas such as dermatology, gynaecology, surgery, and endoscopy, all of which directly impact the demand for cellular pathology testing in the Hospital Laboratory. Additionally, the complexity of testing has increased and is expected to continue rising, putting additional demands on the service.
Sarah Delaney, the Chief Medical Scientist in the Cellular Pathology Laboratory at TUH, says, “Our Lab receives about 65,000 patient samples per year. One patient sample could need up to 20 blocks, depending on the sample type. Each block could produce 1-20 slides. Before the arrival of the new technology, our Laboratory had a shortfall of 160 blocks a day. We will now be in a position to create 200-300 blocks per day, so we are somewhat future-proofed for increased demand as our services grow.
Welcoming this new cutting-edge development, the Interim CEO of TUH, John Kelly, says, “The installation of this advanced piece of equipment marks a significant step forward for the service. It will enable us to efficiently handle increased workloads and tackle unexpected challenges, such as busy periods, equipment breakdowns, and staff leave. This technology empowers our skilled Laboratory Staff to be freed up from manual tasks to focus on more complex responsibilities while ensuring continued compliance with mandatory training standards”.
With the introduction of this new equipment, the Hospital’s Cellular Pathology Lab will now have the increased testing capacity to meet current and future demands and will no longer need to outsource work.
In Ireland, everyone aged 59 to 70 can have free bowel cancer screening. This can help find bowel cancer before symptoms present. If bowel cancer is found early, it’s easier to treat and there’s a better chance of recovery. To register for your free screening test, just log in to bowelscreen.ie . April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
