The new medical laboratory at Middlemore Hospital consists of two main zones: a Physical Containment Level 2 (PC2) clinical laboratory, and a staff support area.

The PC2 lab houses 6 laboratory services: Central specimen registration, blood bank, haematology, biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology. The work which is undertaken in these departments may be behind the scenes, but it is vital to the quality of a patients diagnosis and treatment.

The staff support area houses the meet and greet function, administration offices, drop-in workspaces, meeting and education rooms, a staff tea room and staff change rooms.

Roche Diagnostics has installed the latest technology and the most integrated system for laboratory testing in the Asia-Pacific region. This is the first time that haematology, coagulation, immunoassay and biochemistry have been installed on one track system - which has the capability to process up to 800 samples an hour.

The flow around the laboratory is split into staff, specimens and consumables. Four entrances enable direct access to each area for efficient movement around the lab.

The service spines have been laid out on a regular module with bold colourful droppers providing rhythm and long distance focus opportunities in the large open plan lab. The benches are removable in sections to allow for future equipment to be easily incorporated and mobile storage units provide ergonomic under bench flexibility.

The laboratory is extensively serviced with uninterrupted power supplies, specialist laboratory gases, a dedicated water purification system, smart lighting and a substantial HVAC system.

Awards.

2017 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards - Silver Award Winner – Health