POINT OF CARE TESTING

Point of Care Testing (POCT) refers to all equipment and processes used outside the laboratory setting to perform analytical testing by healthcare scientists, clinicians, nurses and healthcare workers.This testing is performed at or near the patient bedside.

All POCT equipment within the Trust falls under the governance of the POCT department within Liverpool Clinical Laboratories and the Trust POCT Group. This department consists of a designated specialist team of laboratory professionals: Biomedical Scientists, Clinical Scientists and laboratory technicians. To achieve the best possible results from POCT devices it is essential that there is the closest possible liaison with users and the POCT team. The POCT Department will advise on/or facilitate the mechanism and methodology of the tests, limitations of the method, troubleshooting, training, support, quality control and quality assurance, risk management, health and safety and infection control issues. The department is working towards ISO 22870:2016 and ISO 15189:2012 (Point-of-care testing (POCT)- Requirements for Quality and competence) to ensure the best standard of quality for users and patients.

All new requests for POCT equipment must be submitted for approval to the Trust POCT Group, which meets every two months. Please contact the POCT department for further information.

The table is a summary of the main issues which need to be addressed in the provision of POCT, the relevant action, level of responsibility and level of evaluation.

Issue	Action by	Responsible for action	Evaluated by
Cost benefit analysis (Business Case)	Directorate	Directorate	Trust POCT Group
Health & Safety	POCT Department	POCT Department	Trust POCT Group
Training (Including record of trained staff)	POCT Department	POCT Department	Trust POCT Group
Standard Operating Procedures	POCT Department	POCT Department	LCL Quality
Routine Operation	Users	Line Manager	Trust POCT Group
Recording Results	Users	Line Manager	POCT Department
Support	POCT Department	POCT Department	Trust POCT Group
Quality Control & EQA	Users	POCT Department	Trust POCT Group
Budgetary arrangements	Directorate/ POCT Department	Directorate	Finance/Trust Executive

POCT devices currently managed by the POCT Department are:

Device	Manufacture	Test	Reagents/consumable provision	POCT responsibility	Training Provision
RapidPoint 500e	Siemens	Arterial Blood gas	All reagents managed by POCT	Maintenance Stock replenishment Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Inform II	Roche	Blood Glucose	Test strips and Quality control available from Pharmacy Lancets available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Coaguchek	Roche	INR	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Quo-test	EKF Diagnostics	HbA1c	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Lifesign DXpress Reader	Chirus	Urine Pregnancy	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Clinitek	Siemens	Urinalysis	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
GeneXpert	Cepheid	SARS-CoV-2	Reagents are delivered to AED every Friday by LCL Stores	Maintenance Stock replenishment Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
StatStrip	Nova Biomedical	Ketone	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
StatSensor	Nova Biomedical	Creatinine	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
B101	Roche	Lipids profile	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
H232	Roche	D-Dimer	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Uryxxon	BHR	Urinalysis	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Alere HIV	Abbotts	HIV	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Prospect Protetanus	Prospect Diagnostics	Protetanus	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
ROTEM sigma	Werfen	Blood coagulation status	Reagents are managed by Theatres	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
XN-550 / 450	Sysmex	FBC	All reagents available from POCT	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Gastrolyser	Bedfont Scientific	Breath hydrogen and methane	All reagents managed by Gastroenterology	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department
Hb201	HemoCue	Haemoglobin	Regaents are available from pharmacy	Quality Assurance Troubleshooting Technical SOP	Provided by POCT, to book on contact POCT department

POCT Training

Training for all devices take place all year around with sessions available on Royal, Broadgreen and Aintree site. All Staff must first have an initial training before they are given access to POCT devices, to book on to training contact POCT department. Barcode sharing is against Trust Policy and can result in disciplinary action and will result in access to POCT devices being revoked.

POCT Contact Details

Royal and Broadgreen Sites

Phone: x4835

Email: pointofcaretesting@rlbuht.nhs.uk

Aintree Site

Phone: x6278

Email: poctdesk@liverpoolft.nhs.uk