RCI test request

The page provides instructions for hospital staff to request RCI test a patient's blood sample.

Hospital staff can either use the RCI reference request form 1A (PDF 633KB) or telephone a RCI laboratory to request a patient's blood sample test to investigate any of the following conditiions, or transfusion reactions:

Allo and autoantibodies
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency
Haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN)
Haemolytic transfusion reactions

To ensure the laboratory can process the sample efficiently and prioritise clinically urgent tests, please follow the guidance below.

Guidance

Guidance for completing the test request form

Instructions

Please refer to our document (PDF 633KB) for details how to complete the form.

Please note, for crossmatched units or antibody identification results, a date and a time need to be specified on the test request form. Do not request 'as soon as possible’ as it means a laboratory cannot prioritise testing accurately. The on-call consultant may telephone to discuss the request.

Guidance for telephoning to request a test

If you ring a RCI lab to request a test, you will need to supply the following information... (reason why).

Patient details

You will be asked...

demographics, clinical details, inc maternal and/or paternal details, gestation, treatments (e.g.dara), special requirements, previous transfusions, sensitising event

Your contact details

Test results

&S, antibody ID, DAT, pheno, FBC, any XM results or previous results, RAADP given, FMH estmiation

Tests requesting ?

xm, number of units, possibility of more needed, type of transfusion, advice

Urgency

Transport of sample – estimated time of arrival

Transport of units back

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Guidance for sending samples

It is important samples are sent promptly

We need to receive samples which are as fresh as possible to achieve the most accurate test results.

Additionally, samples which are older than four days mean they need to be tested urgently This means we may not be able to prioritise requests which are genuinely critical.

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For information on the RCI labelling for samples, RCI labelling policy, printable address labels and see RCI test request page.

Page last reviewed: x November 2025