In this section
By Prof Anne-Marie Kelly, Consultant Chemical Pathologist
June 2022
In 2021 MFT’s Division of Laboratory Medicine set up advice and guidance biochemistry services for both Oxford Road Campus and Wythenshawe hospital. This service is accessed through the e-Referral system and the queries are answered by Consultant Chemical Pathologists or Consultant Clinical Scientists.
The table below summarises the types of queries we have received at Wythenshawe:
| Case | Scenario | Advice required |
| 1 | Elevated serum B12 |
Significance of results Further investigation |
| 2 | Mixed hyperlipidaemia & low Qrisk score | Is treatment advised? |
| 3 | Recurrent hypomagnesaemia |
Management Frequency of monitoring |
| 4 | Vitamin D replacement |
Dose required Monitoring |
| 5 | Mild Hypophosphataemia |
Further investigation Treatment |
| 6 | Elevated serum Vitamin B12 | Further investigation |
| 7 | Lipaemic Blood sample |
How to obtain U&Es Management of lipids |
| 8 | Low serum IgM | Significance of results |
| 9 | Severe Hypertriglyceridaemia |
Further investigation Management |
| 10 | Raised Creatine Kinase – off statins |
Investigation Is statin contraindicated? |
Feedback from GP users has been that the service is very useful and that it is often easier to use the e-RS than to find the time to speak to one of the Consultants over the telephone. It is also easier to document the advice for both parties. We would be delighted to receive more referrals to the service. However, we are of course still very happy to receive enquiries via phone calls to individual consultants or to the duty biochemist.