Laboratory Genetic Service Feedback

User Feedback 2025

Many thanks to those of you who have responded to our Genetics User Survey. There were many comments of satisfaction and we hope to continue to maintain a high level of service as well as continuously improve. As the comments were anonymous, we have opted to update you here:

1. Find it difficult to inform patients of when they may expect to receive results, unknown when the runs for NIPT are occurring.
We have advised that women should be counselled that reports will be issued 10 days from the day of posting the sample, as the laboratory have a 7 calendar day turnaround time from receipt of the sample. Ten days allows for Royal Mail transit. If sending the sample just before the weekend this should also be considered as the laboratory is closed on a Saturday and Sunday.

2. The reports are very detailed, lots of information, but it's not always clear what the outcome is. To be fair, sometimes there's a plain language answer but the CF reports are still often difficult to interpret, particularly the PolyT bit.
As we review and update report texts we will definitely consider this feedback. We follow professional best practice guidelines for reporting and participate in external quality assessment.

3. I found the old version of the handbook better as all information was located in one place. Now there is centralisation of some tests, I find I have to look up different sites and the information isn't so easy to find.
The Scottish Test Directories hold the most up to date information on specific testing that is available, and the referral criteria, but appreciate this is another website. In time the Scottish Test Directories may evolve to hold all the required information. Even better, we would all like to have a national electronic test ordering system that holds all the required information, but this is very aspirational at the moment.


Please contact the department directly if you have any specific issues, queries or concerns that need to be addressed. Contact our Duty Scientist by email in the first instance (Tay.esrg@nhs.scot).

Last updated 21/10/2025