My Lab: In the City of Culture

Hull is the 2017 City of Culture and we are celebrating our small part in promoting 
the city. 

Our lab sits next to the railway line, a few hundred yards from Hull’s main train station. If you have ever travelled to Hull by train, then you will have seen us running around in our white lab coats, and, occasionally, we may even wave to the London-bound trains.

We are very excited that Hull is the 2017 City of Culture, as in our lunch breaks we can race to the city centre and admire the ever-changing art installations, such as a giant wind turbine, cascading poppies or Lego daffodils. 

Hull has so much to offer, lots of museums, galleries, stunning architecture and a wonderful waterfront area with bars and restaurants. Hull is certainly not dull.

We have entered the spirit with our own contribution – a 70-foot sign attached to the front of the building looking out over the railway line simply boasting: “Our culture: your care.” 

Our lab is a large silver metallic structure, built originally as a laundry and is Hull’s answer to the Pompidou Centre. It houses blood sciences and histopathology (microbiology is still in the adjoining tower block). 

Nearly 200 staff are based in the building, working day and night to service the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and GPs in the city and the East Riding of Yorkshire. We process millions of samples per year.

We have been working hard to develop a pathology-wide culture of equality, respect, and integrity, which we proudly wear on the purple lanyards around our necks. This emphasises our sense of teamwork and reinforces our patient-focused approach.

We are passionate about training and education, and believe that everyone, regardless of banding, can be empowered through learning. We have developed strong links with local universities, such as Hull and Sheffield Hallam. We have a large number of trainees and soon will embarking on the apprenticeship pathways. 

Hull is the City of Culture, but we areproud to have our own culture of education and training – a culture of inclusivity and opportunity for all and to be a centre of excellence.

So, when your train is slowing down to enter the station in Hull, where you can gaze at a life-size statue of the poet Philip Larkin and a copy of Amy Johnson’s plane that flew to Australia, look to your right, give us a wave and welcome to the City of Culture 2017.