OPINION

Beth Loudon, Director of Market Access at the British In Vitro Diagnostic Association discusses the rollout of Value-Based Procurement (VBP) in the NHS.

Interoperability in digital pathology is about more than the ability to open an image file. It means giving pathologists a consistent, trusted experience as laboratories add scanners, displays, and connected systems. Selecting a digital pathology platform for primary diagnosis is a long-term, important decision impacting laboratory operations and the patients who depend on the results.

The last decade has witnessed one of the most significant periods of change in NHS pathology. The creation of Pathology Networks has been a major milestone, bringing laboratories together to improve resilience, standardise services and deliver better value.

Every year, millions of pathology slides are produced in the UK, most still examined manually under a microscope. This century-old process, though reliable, is no longer fit for purpose. Cancer diagnostic backlogs continue to grow, and only 67% of patients are currently meeting the government’s four-week diagnostic target.

Dr Dominique Allwood, Chief Executive at Imperial College Health Partners discusses how place-based innovation is a strategic necessity to realise the ambitions of both the Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

The ongoing transformation of the pathology sector is driven by rising demand for faster and more accurate diagnosis, workforce pressures and policy reform. It is continually being reshaped by rapid advancements in technology, and the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) promises next-level accuracy and efficiency.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s (ARPA-H) ImagiNg Data EXchange (INDEX) programme and the Digital Pathology Association (DPA) have established a thorough framework for digital development in pathology, while at the same time acknowledging that infrastructure challenges are hindering pathology AI advancements. However, do they bear some responsibility for this?

Professor Andy Hardy, Deputy Chair of the National Improvement Board, discusses the quality improvement journey at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW).

The NIHR BioResource is proud to contribute to the Rare Diseases Action Plan 2025, continuing its annual support since its launch in 2022. This annual report, published by the Department of Health and Social Care, highlights national progress under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, focusing on faster diagnosis, increased awareness among healthcare professionals, improved care coordination, and better access to specialist treatments.

Roland Sinker CBE, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) and Cambridge Biomedical Campus, and National Director for Life Sciences, NHS England discusses innovation in healthcare for the UK.

​As we enter a new chapter in British politics with the recent Labour government taking office, a new agenda of the day is being set out. New Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting’s aim to make ‘the UK a life sciences and medical technology superpower’ emphasises the importance of leveraging technology and data to improve healthcare.

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications hold the promise to transform the detection and diagnosis of diseases. Offering the potential for increased efficiency, accuracy, and faster screening for conditions such as breast, bowel and cervical cancer. As pathology departments across the country explore the digitisation of slides, integrating AI into their workflows offers the chance to rapidly enrich and improve diagnostics.

In May 2024, the UK released its second Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Plan. Created by the health agencies of England and the devolved administrations, along with DEFRA and DEARA (NI), the plan aspires to set out “ambitions and actions for the next five years in support of the 20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance (AMR)”.

Dr John Tyson is head of the North East Innovation Lab. With a PhD in molecular genetics, John started his career in academic research and has ten years’ experience in the development of molecular assays and medical devices. He has led the development of in-vitro diagnostic tests on a novel point-of-care platform as well as the development of underlying technologies. John has also established and managed the delivery of a range of molecular testing services in a commercial laboratory.

We should be proud of the NHS’s position as a research powerhouse. As a nation we have built one of the richest datasets in the world, representing our diverse population and underpinned by a national cradle-to-grave model. Couple this with clinical and academic expertise in genomics, medical imaging, and digital pathology, the future potential is astounding.

Academic careers can be tricky to navigate as the path, although laid out in theory, can take many twists and turns. Jobs, opportunities and progression may be less guaranteed than in the world of clinical histopathology.

Barbara De la Salle PhD is a consultant clinical scientist and Director of the UK NEQAS Haematology external quality assessment scheme.

Rahul Kapoor is Director of MedTech at CPI. Rahul’s experience has seen him hold senior positions at Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, Unilever, and digital health SME, Medic Spot Ltd. Rahul is an alumnus of the London Business School and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Dr (hc) Neil Bentley OBE is an experienced biomedical scientist with over 40 years of science, management, and leadership experience within the field of pathology and public health.

Tony Cambridge is Lead Biomedical Scientist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and Managing Director of Thornhill Healthcare Events and Consultancy. He frequently speaks at national and international healthcare events and is a key opinion leader for point-of-care testing, organising his own national events throughout the year