Pathology

Pathology is the medical speciality involved in the diagnosis and treatment of disease

Pathology is the medical speciality involved in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

It comprises four main disciplines which are listed below. Our services are available in our hospitals and to local GPs.

Pathology comprises four main disciplines

Cellular Pathology – this service examines biopsies and surgical specimens to provide essential information to clinicians in the process of diagnosing and treating cancer and other diseases. This area is also responsible for the Mortuary and an on-site autopsy service is available to the hospital and the Coroner.

Clinical Biochemistry – is the study of the chemical composition of blood and other body fluids. This service assists in the diagnosis and treatment of a whole range of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer and hormonal (endocrine) disorders.

Haematology – is the study of blood and its component cells. The service assists in the diagnosis of anaemia, leukaemia and many blood diseases, including bleeding and thrombotic disorders. This discipline also includes Blood Transfusion which deals with blood grouping and the preparation of blood products for transfusion.

Microbiology – is the study of micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses. The service assists in the diagnosis and treatment of infections such as meningitis, TB, HIV, MRSA and C.diff.

Understanding your tests

If you wish to find out more about the tests your Doctor has requested please visit the Lab Tests Online-UK website.

Lab Tests Online - Your Trusted Guide logo

Lab Tests Online-UK is written by practising laboratory doctors and scientists to help you understand the many clinical laboratory tests that are used in diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease.

It is produced by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine in collaboration with the AACC and support from the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science. Lab Tests Online-UK was established in 2003 with the aid of a grant from the Health Foundation and was financially supported by the Department of Health. It is currently funded by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, the Royal College of Pathologists and the Institute of Biomedical Science.

Pathology Services handbooks

The East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust user handbook for pathology provides essential information for the use of the Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Pathology) departments of the Trust.

We provide an extensive range of diagnostics to support the management of our patients.

These include:

  • Blood Diagnostics (Haematology/ Clinical Chemistry/ Immunology)
  • Infectious Diagnostics (Microbiology)
  • Tissue and Cellular Diagnostics (Histopathology and Cytopathology)

We also provide:

  • Blood Transfusion services
  • Point of Care services

We have taken care to ensure that the information contained in this handbook and on the website is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you have any suggestions relating to the handbook or suggestions for its improvement please email: Shinal.Amin@nhs.net

We provide this service at

Conquest Hospital

The Ridge, St Leonards-on-Sea
East Sussex, TN37 7RD
0300 131 4500

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Kings Drive, Eastbourne
East Sussex, BN21 2UD
0300 131 4500