My Lab: The Core Laboratory at Halo

Health Services Laboratories (HSL) is a progressive partnership between The Doctors Laboratory, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. In an effort to harmonise and consolidate our service, we recently moved into HSL’s new flagship laboratory, the Halo, located at 1 Mabledon Place. It contains the best laboratory facilities, reflecting HSL’s ambition to provide an outstanding and transformational pathology service. I find the Halo a beautiful environment in which to work. 

Infection sciences is based in state-of-the-art laboratories over two floors, both automated and manual. Each floor is subdivided into specialist areas: healthcare associated infections, including a range of molecular systems; general and specialist urines; orthopaedic tissues; fluids and neurology. Mycology is divided into three self-contained laboratories. Work there includes molecular investigations, routine culture, monitoring of antifungal drugs and serological markers. Floor four hosts our enteric laboratory, where we offer a range of molecular and routine cultures. We are also very fortunate to be working closely with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, whose specialist expertise forms part of the service we offer.

Floor three is mostly dedicated to automated microbiology using the Kiestra system. We also have two containment level three laboratories sub-divided into respiratory/TB and blood cultures. 

Education and training is central to HSL: we have a number of education officers and an education officer lead, all of who contribute to supporting issues such as competencies, CPD, further education and research. 

Our department is also supported by a body of consultants, who bring with them specialist knowledge and academic interests, which helps to keep our team vibrant and clinically linked to trusts and our independent sector clients. For me, the clinical link is very important: it focuses the mind on the patient, which is the reason I became a healthcare scientist in the first place.

HSL doesn’t stand still – we are always looking to the future. For example, we are gaining a better understanding of the microbiome and what that means for infection sciences, as well as the vast array of new technologies on the horizon, such as whole genome sequencing, and the impact on antibiotic stewardship.

This venture would not be possible were it not for our great team of staff. I have been involved with HSL from the beginning. I was part of our recent move to the Halo and I’ve worked with a variety of people, including architects, engineers, and facilities management teams. 

The thing that strikes me most is the enthusiasm and passion of everyone who works here. I feel proud to be part of the HSL team – working to ensure that pathology remains at the heart of health, and helping to deliver an even better and more personalised standard of care.   

Simon Rattenbury is Head of Infection Sciences at Health Services Laboratories.