A SIX-year-old boy from Greenock has become the first child in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to go behind the scenes of hospital laboratories as part of an initiative designed to help young patients better understand their healthcare.
Matthew McGlone, who attends the Royal Hospital for Children as an outpatient, was invited to take part in the first Harvey’s Lab Tour at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus in Glasgow after impressing staff with his curiosity about what happens to blood samples once they are taken.
The youngster has attended hospital appointments since birth for severe eczema and an orthopaedic condition affecting his feet. He recently had blood taken as part of his care. Rather than looking away during the procedure, he was keen to watch and asked lots of questions about where his sample would go and what would happen next.
His interest led to him becoming the first child in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to experience Harvey’s Lab Tours, a programme that gives children, young people and their families the opportunity to go behind laboratory doors, meet biomedical scientists and discover how samples are tested to help diagnose and monitor health conditions.
During the tour, Matthew, who was given his own lab coat and scientist bear, followed the journey of a blood sample through the laboratory. He also saw some of the testing processes carried out behind the scenes and learned more about the vital role laboratory staff play in patient care.
His mum Ashley said: “Matthew has always been fascinated by science and the human body. He loves reading and listening to books about medicine and is constantly asking questions about how things work.
“Because he’s been attending hospital appointments for much of his life, he’s very comfortable talking to healthcare staff and always wants to know more about what they’re doing and why.
“When we heard about the laboratory tour through the hospital play team, we thought it was a fantastic idea. It gives children the chance to understand what’s happening behind the scenes and helps them feel more involved in their own care.
“For children who spend a lot of time in hospital, knowledge can be really empowering. Being able to see where samples go and understand why tests are important helps make everything feel less daunting and gives them a greater sense of control.”
After the tour, Matthew, who was joined by Ashley and dad Thomas, said: “It was amazing and special, I loved it.”
Originally launched at Worthing Hospital in 2013, Harvey’s Lab Tours began when seven-year-old Harvey Baldwin, who was receiving treatment for leukaemia, was invited to visit the pathology laboratory and follow his own blood sample through the testing process. The experience inspired a programme that has since spread across the UK.
Now, for the first time, the tours are being offered within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with specialist biomedical scientists Stephanie Dymond and Ainsley Steel and lab colleagues volunteering their time to lead visits.
Stephanie said: “Many children have blood tests and other samples taken as part of their care, but very few get the opportunity to see what happens next.
“Harvey’s Lab Tours help bring that journey to life by showing young patients how their samples are processed and how laboratory testing supports the care and treatment they receive.
“We hope the tours will help children and their families feel more informed, reassured and connected to their healthcare journey. They also give our staff a valuable opportunity to meet the patients behind the samples and see the difference their work makes every day.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch children engage with science, ask questions and gain confidence through the experience.”
The tours are currently being offered to paediatric outpatients. For more information contact ggc.harveys.labtours@nhs.scot.
