Within Laboratory Services, the The Department of Microbiology provides high quality and readily available clinical and diagnostic Microbiological services to The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) and the Royal Women's Hospital, the medical practitioners in Melbourne and Victoria.

There are four laboratories within the Department; Bacteriology, Microbial Serology, Molecular Microbiology and Virology

The role of the department is fulfilled by the following objectives:

• To provide advice to medical and nursing staff concerning selection of laboratory investigations, detailed specimen requirements and clinical management of infection from the Clinical Microbiologists, Infectious Diseases physicians and the Pathology Specimen Collection Handbook.
• To provide rapid access to results, opinion and advice by 24 hour availability of results from the CLARA, the laboratory information system, on call scientists and the clinical microbiologists.
• All members of staff are bound by the ethical standards of the Hospital and their professional societies to ensure total patient confidentiality and excellence of work practice.
• The department liaises closely with Infection Control Department and assists in the production of infection control guidelines that are reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis as well as infection control surveys and screenings.
• Documentation of all laboratory tests and procedures which are reviewed continually and updated yearly.
• Participation in total quality management system to ISO/IEC 15189 standard and requirements of NATA/RCPA Medical testing accreditation program.