Two NHS Lanarkshire laboratory teams scooped awards at a national ceremony.
In a prestigious event at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the two Monklands Hospital-based teams received health care science awards for innovation in Improved Health Services.
NHS Lanarkshire biomedical scientists Hannah Robertson and Rosemary Yates, along with colleague Dr Alistair Leanord, were rewarded for introducing a new test for detecting gonorrhoaea.
Meanwhile, clinical chemistry duo Elaine Kennedy, a biomedical scientist, and Jacqueline McGuire, consultant clinical scientist, gained their award for the implementation of a new blood glucose testing system.
Irene Winning, senior biomedical scientist in the microbiology department at Monklands, said: “This was a great achievement for NHS Lanarkshire.
“The microbiology team gained their award for the introduction of a new N.gonorrhoaea polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
“This test resulted in a four fold increase in male samples tested for and an overall 194 per cent increase in detection of N.gonorrhoaea during the first year of implementation.
“In addition the test utilises less invasive samples which improves patient uptake of the test.”
The team from clinical chemistry gained their award for the implementation of a new method for delivery of blood glucose testing within the secondary care setting in Lanarkshire.
Irene continued: “All staff involved were given one-to-one training and the new system includes more effective quality assurance.
“This system improves patient care by providing rapid access to immediate analysis which supports compliance with treatment; aids counselling in relation to therapeutic management; and assists in planning of treatment.”