Notification of Industrial Action has been received for a partial withdrawal of services by APEX union members at Awanui Labs Canterbury from Thursday 29 May until further notice 2025.
Please note: The dates have been extended from those previously advised.
The industrial action will impact referrers and patients as per below:
Biochemistry
- Please restrict URINE tests
- DO NOT submit urine samples for routine biochemistry tests. This includes both random and 24hour urine collections. Testing will be declined for routine requests.
- Urgent Urine requests will still be processed if clear clinical details are provided
- Requests for urine samples on pregnant patients will be processed, if clear clinical details are provided
Microbiology
- Defer sending bacterial genital swabs. HPV and STI (Chlamydia, N. gonorrhoea, Trichomonas and Herpes) swabs are not affected.
- Only submit specimens when laboratory diagnosis is required, and ensure relevant clinical details are provided.
- Where possible, treat empirically.
Histology
- Turnaround times may be extended and results delayed.
Call Centre
- Email non-urgent general enquiries cscl.enquiries@awanuilabs.co.nz
- Expect longer than usual wait times if you need to call the call centre.
Collection centres
- Wait times may be longer than usual.
- Collection centres may close at short notice.
- Advise patients to use the online booking system to make a blood collection booking – Awanui Labs Booking
As always, we thank you for your continued understanding and support.