West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory

About the Laboratory

The West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory (WMRGL) is the largest genomics facility in the UK and lead provider for one of the seven Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLH) in England, the Central and South Genomic Laboratory Hub (C&S GLH). 

The C&S GLH is hosted by Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) and serves 11 million people across a large geography.  Working in partnership with four major acute Trusts and their Local Genomic Laboratories (LGLs) the GLH covers the West Midlands, Oxford and Wessex areas. The C&S GLH is commissioned by NHS England for the provision of all genomic testing for the geography.  The GLH is also part of the Central and South Genomic Medicine Alliance (C&S GMSA) working in close collaboration with a broad range of medical specialities including Clinical Genetics, Nursing and Midwifery, Pharmacy as well as associated universities, charities, patient groups and industry to continue to develop and innovate the appliance of genomics for patients. Please see the Central South Genomics website  for further information.

The C & S GLH aims to provide equitable access to genomic testing for patients within our geography and beyond.

West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8176. For more information, you can visit our dedicated quality page.

The laboratory is aligned with patient pathways with two overarching clinical programs:

• Rare Disease and Reproductive Genomics
• Cancer Genomics

Haemato-Oncology Genomic Test Request Form (use if MIRHO form is not applicable)

HRD Referral Form

Germline Breast/ Ovarian Cancer Genomic Test Request Form

To be used for germline testing for inherited breast and ovarian cancers.

Whole Genome Sequencing Record of Discussion form

Whole Genome Sequencing Consultee Declaration form

Please see Sample Packaging and Transport Requirements for information on the requirements for samples to be accepted, how samples should be labelled, the requirements for request form completion, and packaging and transport requirements.

Please ensure these requirements are followed in order to ensure that samples and referrals are accepted for testing.

Genomic notes for clinicians: information to help healthcare professionals make the right genomic decisions at each stage of a clinical pathway

For routine testing, patient consent for the requested testing, and storage of DNA, will be inferred by the laboratory based on consent to sample collection. If specific consent documentation is required, details will be available in the Test Request Forms section above.

All samples and records will be stored to maintain integrity, privacy and confidentiality. Anonymised genomic and clinical data may be shared within the NHS and with other healthcare or regulatory bodies for the purposes of commissioning, clinical audit, diagnosis or research. Patient identifiable data may need to be shared for the purposes of legal proceedings or serious incident investigation; where required within these frameworks, and in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018, patient consent will be sought before identifiable information is released.

Monday to Friday             07:00 - 18:00

Saturday                           09:00 - 14:00

Samples received outside these hours may be temporarily stored at ambient temperature. 

Usual office hours for telephone enquiries are 09:00 – 17:00, Monday – Friday. An answer phone operates outside these times.      

West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory
Birmingham Women’s Hospital
Mindelsohn Way
Birmingham
B15 2TG

For general enquiries: BWC.genetics.lab@nhs.net

Telephone: 0121 335 8036