Laboratory testing will be severely impacted on Monday 5 February 2024 by industrial action. Please defer non-urgent samples. The Acute Demand Service is available as usual for critically urgent community testing. Please note that all collection centres are closed on Tuesday 6 February for Waitangi Day. .
We invite you to watch the recording of the Annual Awanui Infection Prevention and Control Webinar held on 8 December, 2023 with guest speakers – Dr Juliet Elvy and Dr Aaron Keene, Clinical Microbiologists. It features presentations on: View the recording here.
From Monday 11 December 2023, the Microbiology department at Awanui Canterbury will be introducing changes to urine samples received by the laboratory. Changes are being introduced for patient benefit, to ensure appropriate testing and prevent over-reporting and over-treatment. These criteria have been in place across a large number of New Zealand diagnostic laboratories (both Awanui […]
From Monday 2 October 2023, interim results from Awanui laboratories will display in Health Connect South (HCS) for both hospital and community testing. This change will see: This is a significant change to what is currently shown so please communicate this to all clinicians. Please see below how results will be displayed in HCS.
From Monday 2nd October 2023 Awanui Labs will be replacing routine faecal culture and Giardia/ Cryptosporidium EIA testing with a single multiplex faecal PCR test. PCR is more sensitive than culture and EIA testing, and this new method will improve detection of enteric pathogens with a similar or superior turnaround time. This is in keeping […]
From 12 September 2023, the primary test for cervical screening will change to a human papillomavirus (HPV) test, with the option of self-testing. Further information about the change can be accessed via the National Screening Unit HPV primary screening webpage located here. There is a change to the sample types required for HPV testing. Please […]
Awanui Labs have been advised by the National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP) that the start date for the switch to primary HPV screening has been postponed until 12 September 2023. Further information is available from the NCSP by emailing HPVScreen@health.govt.nz. Any orders already received for the new HPV swabs will be cancelled, with orders reopening […]
We are proud to announce, after 12 years in the community, Canterbury SCL will be changing its name and brand to Awanui Labs. Moving to become Awanui Labs is a significant milestone for our organisation. Many may not be aware that Awanui Labs is part of a nationwide network of eight laboratory brands that span […]
From 10 June 2023, cervical cytology screening services for Canterbury, Ashburton, West Coast and Kaikoura regions will be provided via Canterbury Southern Community Laboratories (CSCL). CSCL is part of the Awanui group, who currently provides >50% of the NCSP services nationally. Please review the following information to ensure continuity of supplies and result reporting. Smear […]
Thank you to all Canterbury referrers who are using eOrders to electronically request your laboratory tests. Currently over 40% of daily laboratory requests at CSCL are via an eOrder, we hope Canterbury eOrder requests will soon match that of other districts in our region who have up to 80% of all daily requests made via […]