Introduction
Welcome to the website of the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL). The SPDRL was established in 1982 under the auspices of the Scottish Office, Home and Health Department and financed through renewable block funding awarded under the "New Developments in Health Care" scheme. In concept, the role of the SPDRL was to provide an efficient and effective diagnostic and advisory service for Scotland.
Since 1993, the SPDRL has been funded through monies administered by the National Services Division of the Scottish Executive Health Department. The renewable contract is let to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (the provider) and is a contract to provide a quality auditable service to customers in the NHS in Scotland. This service is free of charge to customers in Scotland.
Over many years, the SPDRL has developed strong teaching and research links with Universities in the UK and Government establishments. It has a record of excellence in diagnosis, advice and research, which is second to none in Scotland.
The primary activities of the SPDRL are located within the "House on the Hill", Stobhill Hospital. Some SPDRL advisory activities are delivered from the Microbiology Departments of Stobhill Hospital and the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. The SPDRL services requests from all Medical Microbiology laboratories in the NHS in Scotland, offering a wide range of investigations including diagnosis and identification of parasites in clinical material, diagnosis of human parasite diseases by immunological methods, culture of Leishmania and Acanthamoeba from clinical material, an advisory service about investigation of patients for parasitic disease, the appropriateness of tests, their timing and interpretation together with advice about prophylaxis and treatment and free individual tuition for technical, scientific and medical staff in faecal and blood parasitology. The SPDRL processes over 2,500 specimens per annum.