Change to qFIT ordering for RDUH facing surgeries

We are delighted to inform you that we have added qFIT requests into ICE for RD&E AND NDDH facing practices. With immediate effect, we will invoke the new pathway for qFIT testing and from this point onwards, we will supply only the blue sample picker device to practices. Full kits with postal return envelopes will be no longer be provided and practices should now follow the pathway below.

The new pathway provides many benefits, particularly, significant mitigation against the risk of mis-assignment of requests to the incorrect practice and misidentification of patients. It will also provide more effective tracking of tests and results, ensuring that no test with a concerning result is lost in the system. This new process is hopefully easier for GPs and will be safer for patients.

If you have any questions please contact the Duty Biochemist at Rduh.biochem@nhs.net or telephone 01392 402935

The process will now be:

• GP to request qFIT test in ICE (no change to criteria)
• GP prints a barcode from ICE and sticks on the collection picker device.
• GP explains to patient why and how to take test and provides a printed sample collection instruction sheet LINK HERE
• GP gives patient the picker in a standard Blood Sciences specimen bag and the sample collection instruction sheet.
• Patient takes sample at home, according to instructions and returns in in the specimen bag to the practice.
• Practice uses the standard courier service to send the sample to their local laboratory in the standard BLOOD SCIENCES GREEN transport bag
• RD&E or NDDH laboratory receives the sample, performs analysis and the result is transmitted to the GP via the standard GP links system.
• Kindly note that the FIT pickers differ from devices used for Calprotectin and are not interchangeable.

FIT Testing Pathway