Information Governance
Medical Directorate
NHS Grampian
Rosehill House
Foresterhill Site
Cornhill Road
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZG
BY EMAIL
Date
12 June 2020
George Winter
Our Ref
FOI/2020/226
request-659419-
Enquiries to Information Governance Team
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Extension
51319
Direct Line 01224 551319
Email
xxxx.xxx@xxx.xxx
Dear Mr Winter
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 I refer to your e-mail 16 April 2020, requesting:
“In answer to my request of 3 April 2020 asking for information on the footage taken by the
BBC on 27 March, NHS Grampian's response included this:
"Is (or was) COVID-19 testing undertaken in this laboratory? No, COVID testing was not
undertaken in the section of the laboratory where the footage was filmed. However,
COVID testing at the time of the footage was being carried out in a different section of this
laboratory. "
My question is: In which section of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's virology laboratory was the
footage filmed, please?”
I can now respond as follows:
In answer to my request of 3 April 2020 asking for information on the footage taken
by the BBC on 27 March, NHS Grampian's response included this:
"Is (or was) COVID-19 testing undertaken in this laboratory? No, COVID testing was
not undertaken in the section of the laboratory where the footage was filmed.
However, COVID testing at the time of the footage was being carried out in a
different section of this laboratory. "
My question is: In which section of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's virology laboratory
was the footage filmed, please?
COVID19 testing is done in 3 steps:
Step #1 = swabs taken from patients are prepared for molecular testing that includes
deactivation of any virus present.
Step #2 = extraction of the virus genetic material (nucleic acid) from the deactivated
sample
Step #3 = detection of the target pathogen (SARS-CoV2) by PCR using the extracted
nucleic acid from Step#2. This provides a positive / negative COVID-19 result.
The footage was taken in the Virology/ Molecular Section of the Microbiology Department,
however the specific laboratory in the footage is used to extract RNA from cellular material
in patient samples as per Step #2 above.
Testing for the detection of SARS-CoV2 by PCR as per Step #3, is performed in a
separate clean room where the aim is to protect the samples from contamination from RNA
/ DNA in the environment or on laboratory staff.
Under section 20 (1) of the Act, if you are dissatisfied with the way NHS Grampian has
dealt with your request, you have a right to request a review of our actions and decisions
in relation to your request, and you have a right to appeal to the Scottish Information
Commissioner.
A request for review must be made within 40 working days and should, in the first
instance, be in writing to: Directorate of Corporate Communications, Foresterhill House,
Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZB or by email t
o xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx
Requests for appeal can be made by using the Scottish Information Commissioner’s online
service at
www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal or should be made in writing to: Scottish
Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16
9DS Telephone: 01334 464610, Fax: 01334 464611.
Yours sincerely
Roohi Bains
Acting Information Governance Manager
NHS Grampian
