Update on the qFIT Screening Service in the Peninsula

Hopefully you should have received your qFIT collection kits and many of you will have already sent samples back to the laboratory here in Exeter. To date we have received 480 samples and detected 67 positive results.

Some Key Learning Points to Date

• A number of samples are arriving back in the laboratory without the accompanying request form and/or no or insufficient patient details on the specimen. We have a small number of specimens where we are not able to track down the source of the request to return results for these reasons. Please ensure the GPs fill the request form in fully in the surgery, along with the surgery ‘QF’ number, before handing out the kit to the patient and stress the importance of returning the form inside the return envelope with the sample.
• If you are missing results from patients who have been issued FIT packs, please first check with the patient that they have returned the pack, and then contact us with patient details. It is possible the sample was returned to us with no form/insufficient details for us to be able to track a patient back to the requesting source.
• A few samples have arrived with the collection device incorrectly or loosely re-assembled and in one case not re-assembled at all, resulting in leakage of the contents and invalidating the test. Please stress the importance of following the collection instructions precisely.
• A number of samples have been received with no indications ticked on the form. Unfortunately we are not able to process these samples.
• Unfortunately we are required to strictly adhere to the age limits stated and will not be able to process younger patients.

Electronic Result Messaging

Although we are now confident all results are being transmitted to the DTS electronic Pathology messaging service, a large numbers of practices are still not receiving them into their practice system. To assist this process please consider the following –

• Check your Pathology Unmatched folder for results, as we will be sending them to your generic DTS address, not a specific GP.
• Is your clinical system set up to receive Pathology messages from the Royal Devon & Exeter mailbox? Our details are –
  • DTS Address – 69440pm.dts.nhs.uk
  • EDI Trader code – 1100000454

• Your clinical system provider should be able to assist you in this process.

E-mailed Results

Until we have received assurance from individual GP surgeries that you are receiving results correctly by electronic format, we will continue emailing all your qFIT results. All positive results are still being telephoned to the surgery.

• All e-mailed results are being sent to the Practice Manager e-mail address (unless you have already advised us of a preferred generic results e-mail), which is the only contact we were provided by the CCG at the outset of the project.
• If you are missing results, please check with your practice manager first.
• If you have not already advised us of a generic e-mail, and would prefer results to be sent to that address instead until electronic reporting is working for your surgery, or you have any other queries, please contact us on: rde-tr.bloodsciencesadmin@nhs.net