Posting your patient’s sample (For ordering clinicians taking samples)

We recommend collecting your patient’s sample in the morning during Monday to Thursday so that you can ensure you meet that day's post and to avoid the sample being delayed in the postage system. If you are sending any samples on a Friday, we would advise purchasing your own guaranteed next day delivery at the post office. This will then ensure your sample arrives at the laboratory on the Saturday before they close at 3 pm. 

Please wait until after the weekend to collect samples.      

You can post your patients sample back to us in a Postbox, and you do not need to go to a Post Office. 

We include a tracked postage service for you to use when returning your sample to the lab. This will ensure that, even in the current environment, samples get to the lab in good time and do not spoil due to delays in transit.  The Royal Mail Tracked delivery service is prioritised over first-class mail however, due to significantly higher volumes and a reduced Royal Mail workforce, it is not guaranteed. Service levels may vary across the country. 

Please make a note of your unique tracked postage number so that you can track your sample. You can find this number under the barcode on the postage sticker on your sample return label You can track your item on the Royal Mail website. 

We have conducted stability testing to ensure samples remain viable for accurate analysis over time and under various storage and transportation conditions. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of diagnostic results, particularly for remote or delayed testing scenarios.