It is ESSENTIAL that the ward liaises with the laboratory before collecting and hand-delivering the samples. For pre-arrangement, please contact: Lablink on ext 22000. Out of hours contact ext 22000 and option 4.
Laboratory staff will arrange a Chain of Custody pack to be sent to you. This includes the ward form for the collector to complete, instructions with photos, Chain of Custody bag and security seals.
As per standard specimen requirements for tests. Please see individual test entries in the Test Guide.
For samples from children and young people seen by the Te Puaruruhau team and samples from the Pohutakawa Clinic please refer to :
- CC7062 Laboratory Request Form:Medico Legal Microbiology Specimens Request and Chain of Evidence
- Child Protection – Forensic Specimens to A+ Auckland DHB Laboratory PP3021/PCR/01
For all other chain of evidence samples collected at ADHB and received at LabPLUS for processing please refer to:
- LPADMQASFO225 Chain of Evidence/Custody Specimen Ward Form
- LPADMQASPR177 Ward Photo Guide for Chain of Evidence/Custody Specimen Labelling and Packing
Do not send the chain of evidence bag via the Lamson system, these must be hand delivered to the laboratory.
Please call Lablink ext 22000 (and ext 22000 option 4 out of hours) to alert the laboratory that a chain of evidence sample(s) will be delivered.
Turn-around time:
As per standard specimen turnaround times for tests, unless requested to be processed urgently. Please see individual test entries in the Test Guide.
Pathologist Contacts:
Refer to Pathologist contacts in the Test Guide entries for the test(s) requested.
Registration details:
As per standard sample registrations. Please see individual test entries in the Test Guide for registration details.
Laboratory Information Out of Hours:
If the ward requires a Chain of Custody/Evidence bag and seals they will request these by phone. Chain of Evidence Ward Forms and instructional photos for sample collection are available to the ward to print via a link in the LabPLUS Test Guide Chain of Evidence entry (see above links).
A stock of bags and seals are stored in a basket on top of the safe in the Specimen Services room leading to LabLink.
When there are less than 5 bags and sets of seals on hand in Specimen Services ensure further stock is obtained from the ALSS Scientist Unit Manager office shelf location.
Information for referring laboratories:
LabPLUS may receive Chain of Custody samples that are not to be processed but sent onto an external laboratory for processing.
Chain of Evidence samples that are to be referred to an external laboratory are brought to a senior staff member of ALSS Specimen Services to sendaway during normal working hours (0800-1630hrs Monday to Friday).
This form needs to be used in those situations:
Chain of Evidence Log – Sending to external labs
Last updated: 08/09/2026