At times, the unsung and unseen heroes of a hospital setting in Northern Ireland, like healthcare scientists and support staff, are more vital than ever.
As part of National Pathology Week, we're reflecting on how those who are working 24 hours a day, seven days a week in hospital laboratories, alongside doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease.
Within the Ulster Hospital laboratory, over one million samples are processed every year, producing approximately 5.5 million test results.
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An avid advocate of all things science, Haematology Biomedical Scientist Gemma Magennis from Saintfield has been working in the hospital's laboratories for the past eight years and part of her role is to look for abnormalities in patient’s blood samples.
“Biomedical science is quite a diverse subject and it can take you into different pathology areas including haematology which I just love,” said Gemma.
“Just three cells can tell you so much about a person. A person’s red blood cells, white cells and Platelets can tell if someone has an iron deficiency or a B12 deficiency or has leukaemia.”
Without hospital laboratories, doctors and healthcare professionals would be unable to provide accurate diagnoses and develop effective treatment plans.
They play a critical role in ensuring patient safety and improving healthcare outcomes and are responsible for conducting a wide range of tests, including blood tests, microbiology and pathology.
Gemma explained: “The lab is split into three sections. We have the haematology side, and we carry out coagulation tests which is your blood’s ability to clot.
“We look at all the different factors in your blood to see if anything is abnormal in terms of increasing your chances to clot or increase your risk of bleeding.
“We work in the Blood Bank as well so we look after people who need transfusions. Working within Pathology is very important. Seventy per cent of medical decisions are based on a blood test.”
For anyone thinking of pursuing a career in pathology, Gemma said: “Jump on it. It’s one of the most diverse careers you can have and you can go anywhere with it.
“If you love science, like I do, you still get to look down a microscope with a career in pathology and I love it. I would recommend it to anyone.”
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