Specialist Chemistry

Toxic Alcohols Service

Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, Methanol

BCPS operates two services:

  • A routine service available Monday – Friday between 9am and 5pm.
  • An out of hours service is available on Saturdays and Sundays, 9am to 5pm, but you must contact the on-call biochemist first. Analysis outside of these times may be possible but is not guaranteed.

Instructions for sender: Routine Service (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm)

  • Samples must be received by 4pm for same-day analysis.
  • Contact the lab directly before sending: Tel. 0121 507 4138.
  • Samples to be sent to:

Toxicology Laboratory
Birmingham City Hospital
Dudley Road
Birmingham
B18 7QH

(Note: If samples are sent anywhere else in the BCPS network, we will endeavour to analyse within 24 working hours of receipt)

Instructions for sender: Out-of-Hours Service (Outside Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm)

  1. We now use an automated ‘sample drop box’ located outside of the Toxicology laboratory.
  2. Contact the on-call biochemist via switchboard at 0121 553 1831 before sending.
  3. Package the sample with the request form and contact number.
  4. This specific Ethylene Glycol delivery address label MUST be downloaded and attached to the specimen box. This address label contains the QR code required to open the automated sample drop box. Without this label the sample CANNOT be delivered.
  5. Provide the following Driver Instructions to the driver / courier to open the box on arrival at the toxicology laboratory (these instructions are also on the ‘drop box’).