The laboratories receive patient samples from GPs, outpatients, inpatients and from other hospitals in the area. The laboratory service used will depend on the sample being taken and diagnosis required.

Southwest Pathology Services (SPS) is a joint venture partnership between Integrated Pathology Partnerships (iPP) (a member of SYNLAB and Somerset NHS FT, delivering full laboratory services to a population of 500,000 patients and over 80 GP practices in Somerset.

Our pathology laboratory is UKAS ISO15189 Accredited based on the testing schedule on the UKAS Website.

SPS carries out more than 7.5 million tests each year, offering more than 1,400 different types of tests across the following disciplines:

  • Andrology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Cytopathology
  • Haematology and Blood Transfusion
  • Histopathology
  • Immunology
  • Microbiology and Infection Control
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology

SPS also provides 24/7 out of hour’s acute services on the Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil Hospital sites.

To find out more about Southwest Pathology Services, visit Southwest Pathology Services

What we do

Andrology provides an appointment-based service investigating fertility issues and assisted conception.

Biochemistry: evaluates the biochemical processes in the body and can measure levels of specific chemical components of body fluids required to assess or monitor the function/dysfunction of organs such as the heart, kidney, liver, thyroid etc.

Cellular Pathology (inc Histopathology & cytology) provides routine histopathological diagnosis, using a wide variety of techniques including paraffin and resin processing and special stains from surgically-excised specimens. Tissue samples are examined by the naked-eye and microscopically to investigate, diagnose and monitor diseases and gain other clinically significant information, for example cancer diagnoses. Specialised techniques are used to assist the assessment of tissue samples. Cells from Fine Needle Aspirates, fluids, urine and sputum samples are microscopically examined for diagnosis of disease.

Haematology: (including transfusion) tests samples for infection, anaemia, blood clotting, etc. and carries out patient blood grouping and screening prior to issue of suitable products for transfusion.

Immunology: helps to diagnose and monitor autoimmune, inflammatory and allergic diseases

Microbiology: tests for the presence of micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and parasites to provide advice on the correct antibiotic to prescribe.

Virology: is the detection of viral infections, immunity investigations, toxin detection and outbreak monitoring. In virology, different techniques are used to perform investigations and confirmation testing on a range of clinical samples.