Different methods of drug testing and the benefits of each
Different methods of drug testing and the benefits of each
Types of Drug Testing
At Randox Testing Services (RTS) we provide a range of testing solutions to enable you to conduct employee testing. Our screening procedure is efficient and involves an experienced sample collection officer visiting your premises to collect samples and transport them back to our laboratories for analysis. Alternatively, we can also train a member of your staff to collect samples on site with the same degree of accuracy as an RTS collection officer. Our testing solutions ensure coverage of all types of employee testing and meet the needs of all businesses.
For-Cause Testing
For-cause drug and alcohol testing is conducted when there is suspected drug abuse or alcohol misuse in the workplace. Suspicion may arise because of the employee exerting signs of substance abuse, if an allegation has been made, if drugs or alcohol have been found within the workplace or following an accident at work.
The key benefits include;
- Legal compliance with correct measurements being taken if an employee is suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Can deter employee misuse of drugs or alcohol due to a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy being in place.
Pre-Employment Testing
Pre-employment screening for substance abuse is an increasingly common type of workplace drug and alcohol testing. As an indicator of candidate suitability, it forms an essential part of a company’s recruitment process and helps maintain the safety of its current employee workforce and business environment.
The key benefits include,
- Pre-employment screening is one of the easiest programmes to implement.
- Screening applicants for use of drugs and alcohol ensures you employ the right people for your business.
- Effective way of preventing future issues such as absenteeism and decreased productivity.
- Pre-employment screening can help protect the integrity of a company by acting as an effective deterrent.
- A pre-employment drug test is proved helpful to boost the repute of an organisation. The drug abusers usually stay away from applying in any firm that held a drug test at the time of employment.
Random Testing
Random testing for drugs and alcohol is a popular type of employee testing. With knowledge that a test could be conducted on anyone at any time it acts as an effective deterrent of drug abuse or alcohol misuse among employees.
The key benefits include;
- Random testing is a deterrent for employees as they are aware they could be asked to undertake a test at any time.
- It is a convenient and easy way to maintain a safe working environment free from substance abuse.
- Employees are less likely to tactfully try to disguise results, or alter their habits, as they will be given little or no notice that a test is going to be conducted.
- Employees are less likely to feel singled out due to random selection.
Post-incident testing
Post-incident testing occurs after an accident or incident in the workplace to determine if drugs or alcohol may have contributed to the cause. Incidents include injury to an employee, assault of an employee by another member of staff or damage to property.
If this is required, it is recommended that all employees involved in the incident are tested.
The key benefits include;
- Safeguards the rights of the employees and employers to proving or disproving if drugs or alcohol were a factor in an incident.
- Minimises the chance of a similar incident occurring.
Abstinence Monitoring
Abstinence monitoring provides employees with the support and opportunity to remain abstinent and continue to successfully at work. This type of testing is an effective tool to track progress towards addiction recovery for both the employee and the employer. Regular drug screens also give the recovering person added motivation to protect their sobriety.
For the employer abstinence monitoring provides greater security in knowing that their employee is safe to work. This is particularly important for safety critical roles.
The key benefits include;
- Ensures that an employer is tackling and reducing the instances of substance abuse in the workplace.
- Shows support from an employer throughout an employee’s rehabilitation process.
- Increases employee morale and productivity.
- Helps prevent staff turnover by offering a second chance.
- Studies have shown that close monitoring by physicians, especially in early recovery, results in abstinence rates of over 80%.
At RTS we offer varied testing methods to be as flexible as the customer needs to fit in with their requirements.
For any further questions about implementing a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy or just general questions on workplace testing, please get in touch today!
Email – testingservices@randox.com
Phone – +44 (0) 28 9445 1011
Tiger Roll wins back-to-back Randox Health Grand Nationals
The sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National has congratulated Tiger Roll, Davy Russell, Gordon Elliott and Michael O’Leary as they secured their spot in the history books at Saturday’s Randox Health Grand National.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Health, had high praise for both Aintree Racecourse and his Randox Health team, saying;
“We were delighted to once again partner with the Jockey Club and Aintree Racecourse, together bringing the Randox Health Grand National to the millions who avidly awaited the unfolding of this iconic event.
“Over the last two years of our sponsorship, the theatrics that this Festival has produced have been second-to-none and this, our third year, was no exception. The atmosphere was electric and the cheers of the crowd deafening as Tiger Roll, steered by Davy Russell, stretched himself ahead of the competition to become the first consecutive winner of this most famous race since the days of Red Rum.
“It is a tale which will be forever etched in the history books of Aintree Racecourse and steeplechase racing.
“Congratulations to Tiger Roll’s jockey Davy Russell, trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Michael O’Leary who once again delivered a fairytale of determination and dedication as the small but mighty Tiger Roll stormed to victory for a second time.
“Whilst our partnership with the Randox Health Grand National and the wider Jockey Club is an opportunity for us to spread our message of preventative health, it is also a chance to show our commitment, at a national level, to this wonderful sport. I have been a keen equestrian all my life and Randox, historically, has given its name to many local Point-to-Point and Polo meetings near our headquarters in Northern Ireland.
“It’s the perfect fit, therefore, to unite our company ethos, of helping people to extend and enjoy their lives, with the people’s race, the Randox Health Grand National. Together, we can encourage people to live healthier for longer, in order to enjoy events such as this glorious Festival for as long as possible.
“Our message of preventative health is an important one, particularly in a health-conscious world, and that’s why we have been offering the public a 20% discount across all our health packages and services over the course of the Randox Health Grand National and until the end of April 2019.
“This year, we also highlighted our STI at-home test kit Confidante. Sexual health is a serious issue but all too often such infections are stigmatised and access to services may be problematic – causing considerable difficulties for individuals who believe they may benefit from testing. This can lead to increased health challenges at a personal level, and potentially much higher rates of infection.
“Confidante allows for 10 STIs to be tested in a private and fully confidential manner, with the results provided directly to the individual. Improving ease-of-access to such testing is an important issue to support the health needs of those who require testing of and to help reduce the overall rates of sexual infections within society.
“The Randox Health Hub at Aintree Racecourse provided race-goers with an opportunity to engage with Confidante directly through our Secret Cinema where viewers entered a private booth, unaware of the humorous short film which awaited them. Many were in good spirits as a camera caught their reactions and all were entered in to a draw to win a FitBit on each day of the Festival
“I would like to thank the millions who joined us at the Randox Health Grand National 2019 to witness history being made – whether in person at Aintree Racecourse or tuned in to the screen or airwaves. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming years as we deliver the world’s most famous steeplechase and share our preventative health message.”
For more information about the Randox Health Grand National 2019 please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413.
Liverpool school pupils are first to lay eyes on the Randox Health Grand National 2019 trophy
School pupils across Liverpool are today enjoying an exclusive sneak-peek of the 2019 Randox Health Grand National trophy, as part of a tour hosted by Olympic Gold Medallist and Aintree ambassador Sam Quek, and acclaimed former jockey Carrie Ford.
The trophy, which has travelled to King’s Leadership Academy, Maricourt Catholic High School and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, will be officially unveiled to the public during the Opening Ceremony of the Randox Health Grand National Festival on Thursday 4th April.
Etched in solid silver and gilded with gold, the 2019 trophy, which has been designed for the third year by Shannon O’Neill, is aptly shaped like a human antibody, to carry again the sponsor’s message of health and science which so successfully resonated with the racing fraternity in 2017 and 2018.
“We’re incredibly excited to unveil the 2019 Randox Health Grand National trophy during this year’s Opening Ceremony,” said Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Health.
“Our sponsorship of the world’s greatest race is incredibly special to us, as it is a powerful way to share our preventative health message across the globe. With its unique design, the trophy reflects the outstanding science on which Randox Health is based and the use of world class antibodies to identify disease.
“At the base of the trophy, a collection of Randox Biochips – our most innovative health testing technology – have also been brought to the fore. We’re thrilled that with each new trophy we can reflect on the scientific advances of the year gone by and share a new chapter of the Randox story.”
Those who have the opportunity to view the stunning Randox Health Grand National trophy up close, will notice small spherical structures within the stem of the festival’s most coveted prize. Alluding to proteins, one of the building blocks of the human body, this design element draws attention to an area of research in which Randox is investing significantly.
Dr FitzGerald continued; “We strongly believe that the future of healthcare lies in proteomics, the study of proteins. By utilising this innovative method of disease detection, we can identify illness within an individual before it becomes symptomatic. Proteins are released into the blood at the very earliest stage of disease development and, when they are detected, serve as the earliest warning to initiate preventive care.
“Whilst Randox leads the world in proteomic Biochips – the screening for multiple proteins at the same time – there is still much to be done. We can currently test for hundreds of different proteins at once, however, we know that there are up to 30,000 different proteins that we may wish to monitor.
“As we continue to develop diagnostic tests for these proteins, we can begin to imagine a world in which sickness is actively prevented at the earliest stage, rather than managed. In proteins lies the key to living healthier for longer.”
Another popular element returning to the presentation of the winning Randox Health Grand National prizes are team trophies. In 2017, their first year as sponsor, Randox Health introduced the concept of presenting the entire winning team with a trophy, to celebrate the combined effort that goes in to achieving such a special victory. In 2018, they went to trainer Gordon Elliott, jockey Davy Russell, and head groom Louise Dunne.
The Randox Health Grand National trophy will be available to view in the Randox Health Hub at Aintree racecourse at 11:30am and 15:30pm on each day of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.
We Are Randox | Staff Newsletter Jan-Mar 2019 Edition
Staff Newsletter January - March 2019 Edition
We are delighted to be able to share with you the Q1 2019 edition of our We Are Randox staff newsletter!
Click here for a range of company and staff news from January to March 2019 – including a visit from the UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the 2019 launch of our popular Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day in Donegal!
** Please note that image links work most efficiently in your Google Chrome browser**
Employee Health & Wellbeing
What’s important to your business?
How highly do you rank employee health and wellbeing within your business? Improving your employee health and wellbeing strategy can help you increase productivity, lower sickness rates and help improve employee morale. The presence of people in poor health at work can be more costly to the business than their absence. Not only if illness is transmitted to other colleagues, but also because ill employees are likely to work less effectively than usual, may be more susceptible to costly mistakes, create lower workplace morale and they take longer to recover from their illness.
In 2017, 131.2 million working days were lost to sickness absence (Office for National Statistics), that’s just over 4 days of sickness per employee within the UK. Giving your employee, a better understanding of their health & wellbeing gives them the opportunity to improve their health and prevent illness. Randox Health understands the importance of improving the health of your workforce. Our mission is to enhance your business by tailoring a health programme to suit your organisational needs.
EveryBusiness: Employee Health & Wellbeing
Our EveryBusiness corporate service aims to provide a unique health and wellbeing service for your business. EveryBusiness will benefit you and your employees and improve the productivity and efficiency of your business. Our service is for employers trying to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees and by doing so they will benefit from the results of creating a unique health and wellbeing environment.
It has been established that investing in employee health can reduce absenteeism, improve job satisfaction, productivity and enhance corporate image. EveryBusiness can be tailored to your business and its structure because of this it can benefit any size of business.We are committed to improving health worldwide through early identification and prevention of disease. Using our innovative biochip technology, we measure hundreds of biomarkers in the blood, giving unprecedented access to health data.
Benefits
- Lower Rates of Sickness & Absence
- Positive Corporate Image
- Increased Productivity
- Lower Staff Turnover
- Increased Employee Engagement
- Improved Physical and Mental Health
- Increased Staff Morale
- Added Employee Benefit
Client Testimonial
Watch below a testimonial from our EveryBusiness client CMI. Listen to their sales manager Paul Ramm answer some questions about their experience with Randox Health. Visit Randox Health or our new EveryBusiness page here to see more information. Contact a member of our team who can give you a break down of our services and the benefits they will have on your business.
Dungloe Family Fun Day returns to Randox Teoranta
Dungloe Fun Day 2019
Following the success of its 2018 début, the Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day is returning to Dungloe, Donegal for a second year, and will be headlined in 2019 by Irish trad band Clann Mhic Ruairí.
The Laura Aisling Academy, the Scoil Roisin Band, Scoil Athphoirt Singers, and the Dungloe Marching Band will also perform at the event on Saturday 6th April, which will mark Dungloe-based Randox Teoranta’s sponsorship of the world’s greatest race, and celebrate the firm’s success as it takes to the world stage for the Randox Health Grand National.
Dónall Mac Ruairí of Clann Mhic Ruairí, looked ahead to the event and commented;
“Ní thig linn fanacht – we are delighted to be performing at the Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day, following its incredible success in 2018. The event evokes the true community spirit and family atmosphere that we are so well-known for here in Donegal and we are certain it will be a great day out. Many thanks to Randox Teoranta for hosting – we’re keeping our fingers crossed for another Irish winner! Bigí linn.”
Since opening in Dungloe in 2008, biotechnology company Randox Teoranta has grown rapidly to become a key employer in Donegal in the areas of life sciences, engineering and manufacturing, a growth that its Managing Director Dr FitzGerald sees as having benefited from significant support from the local community;
“Donegal residents, and the wider diaspora alike, have been incredibly supportive of our endeavours to offer world-leading science, engineering, software and manufacturing careers in west Donegal, so that people working in these fields no longer have to move away from home to find work.
“It gives us great pride therefore to be able to open the doors to Randox Teoranta on Saturday 6th April and join together with the local community in celebration of the Randox Health Grand National. We are delighted with how the event transpired last year, and the fact that Tiger Roll, an Irish-trained horse, won the big race, made the first ever Family Fun Day in Dungloe incredibly special.
“We know that this year’s event will again surpass expectations and we look forward to making it even bigger and better than before.”
Taking place between 1pm and 7pm on Randox Health Grand National Day, the event is free for all the family, with kid’s activities including a bouncy castle and a rodeo bull, food, drink, and craft stalls and a large screen for the public to watch the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree in Liverpool.
Guests to the event will be joined by a team from RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, who will be broadcasting live with their request show, Cas Ceirnín, at 1.20 pm, followed by Spórt an tSathairn from 2 pm, presented by well-known radio personality Seán Bán Breathnach, or SBB, who celebrates 50 years on air this month!
Seán Bán Breathnach, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, commented;
“We are delighted to take up the invitation to broadcast Spórt an tSathairn live from the Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day again this year. It’s such a special day for all horse-racing enthusiasts like myself, and the atmosphere last year was just fantastic, so I’ll be looking forward to this year’s event.”
The Randox Health Grand National Family Fun Day will also host a racing-themed colouring competition, for which school pupils in the area have been asked to submit entries. Winners will be announced on the day.
For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Randox PR by phoning 028 9442 2413 or emailing randoxpr@randox.com
New findings show antimicrobial resistance on the rise
New antimicrobial resistance findings released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have reported that antimicrobials used to treat diseases can be transmitted between animals and humans. The report presents data from 28 European Union (EU) Member States on humans, pigs, and calves under one year old.
Discussing the report, Poultry World documented that resistance to fluoroquinolones is now so high in Campylobacter bacteria that these antimicrobials no longer work for treatment of severe cases. Studies found that in Campylobacter, extremely high proportions of bacteria were resistant to ciprofloxacin and tetracyclines.
Despite the increase of antimicrobial resistance, Member States that have implemented stringent policies are noteworthy examples for other countries. Broiler farms in the United Kingdom (UK) reduced their antibiotic use by 82% between 2012 and 2017, producing half the meat eaten in the UK and using less than 9.7% of the total antibiotics licensed for food-producing animals.
In the UK, the poultry industry set up the Antibiotic Stewardship group in 2011 to tackle antimicrobial resistance and pre-empt the need for new laws. Coordinated by the British Poultry Council (BPC), participants worked together, shared industry data, and managed a 40% reduction of antibiotic use between 2016-2017. Fluoroquinolone use alone reduced by 91% in the UK. On-going work is to continue in order to improve antimicrobial use, with better data collection and advanced rapid testing methods for antimicrobial sensitivity.
Randox Food Diagnostics recognise the need for antimicrobial detection by providing reliable and economical testing methods to monitor multiple residues from a single sample with Biochip Array Technology. With the Antimicrobial II Array Plus, Randox Food Diagnostic’s offer the detection of 6 classes of antimicrobial compounds including quinolones and tetracycline from urine and tissue samples. Additionally, our tetracycline sensitive and quinolones ELISA kits rapidly uncover additional analytes, with excellent sensitivity levels.
For more information please contact us at info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Or visit the meat and seafood section of our website at www.randoxfood.com
Randox Careers Launch Brand New Email Newsletter
Randox Careers has launched a brand new email newsletter for prospective placement students and employees.
The new service will provide subscribers with the latest career roles at Randox in a variety of fields – from science, IT and engineering to manufacturing and marketing. It will also highlight new opportunities in Randox globally – in the UK, Ireland and the rest of world.
Also featured will be the latest news stories from the company, along with Randox’s We Are Randox articles which highlight the personal milestones and professional achievements of current employees.
Click here to sign up to the brand new Careers email newsletter and stay up-to-date with all our Careers news!
Or for further information please email the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com, or phoning 028 9442 2413
Tim Cogley Foundation and Randox Health partner with Liverpool universities to bring cardiac health awareness to the city
An event on preventative healthcare and cardiac screening is being delivered in Liverpool this week by a wealth of world-leading industry and academic speakers.
Hosted by the sponsor of the Randox Health Grand National, in association with Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Hope University and the Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation, the event, entitled the Preventative Cardiac and Metabolic Health Seminar, runs on Wednesday 3rd April and is open to the public.
It follows a morning of engaging fitness programmes, including boxing, taekwondo and indoor cycling, for local pupils and teachers from across Merseyside and Cheshire. During these exercises, which will also include the opportunity to experience life as a jockey by having a go on a horse simulator, the children will also have some physiological measurements taken, including their heart rate.
“Prevention is always better than cure”, says Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald. “Our aim is to empower people to take control of their health, to live longer and more healthy lives.
“We are delighted to be teaming up with Liverpool John Moores, Liverpool Hope and the Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation ahead of the Randox Health Grand National. The world’s greatest race offers us the perfect platform to spread our message of preventative health, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge with the audiences at this exciting event.”
This is the third year that the educational event from Randox Health has been held in the city, and for the second time will be championed by Frank Cogley of the Tim Cardiac Screening Foundation, whose son suffered a fatal heart attack due to a genetic condition. Frank is now working to raise the profile of cardiac health checks for young people.
He commented;
“It’s been recently reported that at least 12 under-35s die from undiagnosed heart conditions every week in the UK. The current lack of routine screening of 18 to 40-year-olds leaves a gaping chasm in our healthcare provision.
“With our highly motivated partners, through events like this, we hope to redress this through lifestyle changes and preventative medical programmes.
“The Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation is committed to delivery positive, action-focused and life-changing programmes. I can’t imagine a legacy more in tune with the generous, kind and supportive person that was Tim.”
Tickets for the Randox Health seminar, which focuses on health screening and how the right approach can deliver significant benefits, are priced at £3 and are available at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/preventative-cardiac-and-metabolic-health-seminar-tickets-59041545853?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete
£2.27 of each ticket payment will go towards the ‘Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation’ charity. Each attendee at the event will also be entered into a raffle on the day, with the winning prize being general admission tickets for the Randox Health Grand National on Saturday 6th April.
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
Randox Sepsis innovation hailed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock
An innovative new tool for quickly diagnosing the often deadly infection Sepsis, will save lives, the Health Secretary has said.
The bedside test, being developed by healthcare diagnostics company Randox, will slash the 24 hours usually taken to identify the correct antibiotic for sepsis treatment. Currently, more than a third of those with sepsis die. Every hour that patients are not diagnosed increases the chance of death by 8%.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Instead of having to give people huge amounts of antibiotics across the board, which causes other problems, both medical and problems with resistance and super bugs, instead we will be able to work out exactly what the right treatment is for that individual person and do it fast enough to get the treatment in to save lives.”
He paid a visit to Randox’s new headquarters, the Randox Science Park, in Antrim, Northern Ireland on Thursday 21st March.
He added: “I can see a very clear application across the health service for how we can use the technology that is being developed here in Northern Ireland, both across the UK and indeed around the world.”
Sepsis can develop from infections caused by a simple cut or minor medical procedure. The body’s white blood cells fight the infection but the reaction can escalate and also damage healthy tissue.
Many who survive face amputations because of this tissue damage, Randox’s Molecular Diagnostics Manager Dr Martin Crockard said.
Dr Crockard highlighted that the traditional sepsis testing method, which involves sending blood samples to laboratories, takes too long. The problem is worsened by the fact that doctors are then forced to initially prescribe broad spectrum antibiotics which are not specific enough for individual patients. This encourages resistant strains.
To speed up the process, the new technology from Randox’s Biosciences division will allow clinicians in hospital emergency departments to check multiple samples simultaneously, at the press of a few buttons on a smart pad.
Dr Crockard said it is imperative that appropriate antibiotic treatment is administered as quickly as possible.
He said: “We can deal with the exact organism causing the problem in less than four hours, allowing you to tailor the treatment for that individual patient very quickly.”
The UK Sepsis Trust’s Chief Executive Ron Daniels said: “Randox is leading the way around molecular technologies.
“No other system brings this so close to the clinician on the shop floor.”
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
