The Analytical Toxicology Laboratory was established in 1974 and provides an analytical toxicology service for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and other hospitals within Wales and across the UK. The laboratory is based at University Hospital Llandough.
The laboratory offers toxicology analysis (such as toxic alcohols) and screening for drugs of abuse as well as a range of therapeutic drug monitoring. The laboratory employs a range of analytical techniques including immunoassay, chromatography and mass spectrometry.
These laboratory services cannot be accessed directly by patients - a referral from a GP or specialist doctor is required (depending upon the condition involved). If you have any questions about the services available and how these can be accessed by you or your family, please contact your GP to discuss. They should also have information about the funding of these tests within your area as this varies both within and outside of the UK.
Results Enquiries: 029 2071 6894
Fax: 029 2035 0142
Laboratory operating hours are: 08:30 - 17:00 Monday to Friday
For urgent Cardiff and Vale ethylene glycol, methanol or paraquat requests outside the Toxicology Laboratory operating hours please contact the Biochemistry on-call medic through switchboard to discuss sample transfer to an external laboratory for analysis. Other analyses (including thiopental) are not available out of hours.
Note that as of April 2021 methotrexate is analysed 7 days a week at UHW.
The Toxicology Laboratory does not offer an out of hours service. If samples have been agreed for urgent analysis on the next working day and are being sent out of hours the following address should be used: Biochemistry Department, University Hospital Llandough, Penarth, CF64 2XX
For thiopental samples please use this label on the package to ensure the sample is processed correctly on arrival at the hospital (out of hours only).
For further information on our drug screen, click here to download an interpretation guide
SERVICE UPDATE: We have recently introduced gabapentin and pregabalin analysis into our test repertoire. These tests will form part of the urine drugs of abuse screen in the near future. At present, they can be requested directly by stating gabapentin and pregabalin on the request form.
Within laboratory operating hours the direct Toxicology laboratory address should be used for all samples (see above and refer to repertoire for details of sample handling).