Samples may need to be rejected if they do not meet our sample quality policy. Sometimes tests cannot be performed in the laboratory if samples fall short of the quality, volume or other eligibility criteria. In these cases, the laboratory may need to reject the samples, and not carry out processing.

The laboratory may be able to rectify a situation and although turnaround times may be affected, it avoids having to arrange for samples to be taken again.

• Incorrect sample types received:
  – Basic incorrect blood tube / other sample.
  – Samples without the appropriate preservative (e.g. acidified urine samples).
  – Samples that are received ambient, when a frozen sample is required.
  – Samples that are received unprotected from light, when they are required to be covered at the point of venepuncture.
• Insufficient sample received
• No sample received
• Labelling or form issues (mislabelled / unlabelled / no forms / no clinical information)
• Clotted / haemolysed / lipaemic / icteric samples
• Sample is broken or has leaked in transit
• Stability time has been exceeded. Stability time is test dependant, and also refers to tests that can only be carried out on certain days of the week
• Sample contamination (e.g. being in the same bag as a leaking sample).
• Samples are high risk or infectious
• Samples that are received in expired tubes