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Diagnostics done differently: the solution to current staff and workload pressures?

With the increasing reliance on complex and expensive technology, and the loss of highly qualified personnel, Daniel Chapman explores how outsourcing can help solve the challenges faced by diagnostics.

Pathology and radiology form the core of many medical diagnoses, which in turn dictate appropriate patient management and treatment decisions. These diagnostic services are critical to effective patient care. Last month, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that the NHS would prioritise early cancer detection by rolling out new Rapid Diagnostic Centres across the country, and increasing the number of reporting radiographers by 2021.1

However, trusts are under constant pressure to provide patient-centred and clinically-led services around the clock. Hospitals operate 24-hours a day and, due to new technologies, work processes are expected to continue over a 24-hour cycle. The processes of setting up and running a laboratory, and of providing pathology reporting services and radiology reporting services, takes many resources, the most vital being human resources.

Chief Inspector of Hospitals Professor Ted Baker highlighted the pressures on radiology services in his Radiology review2 report of July 2018. Moreover, the 2015 report Productivity in NHS hospitals3 detailed how pathology departments also face challenges such as keeping up with and embracing new technologies, and ‘doing more with less’ as the NHS faces increasing financial constraints. Improvement in quality and speed often requires investment in new processes, equipment, restructuring and, in many instances, capital expenditure to reconfigure laboratory facilities. However, trusts may not be able to invest in much-needed changes. 

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Upcoming Events

Pathology Horizons 2024

MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath
18-20 April, 2024

Diagnostics North East Conference 2024

The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne
19 April, 2024

ECCMID 2024 - European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Fira Gran Via, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
27-30 April 2024

British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference

UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London
2 May 2024

EQA Reports: Interpreting Key Information & Troubleshooting Tips

ONLINE - Zoom
Thursday 16th May 2024

Participants’ Meeting: UK NEQAS Immunology, Immunochemistry & Allergy

Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield
24th May 2024

Access the latest issue of Pathology In Practice on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Pathology In Practice app from your device's App store

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