A pathology laboratory is leading the way in speeding up access to patient care and treatment after becoming the first in the UK to enable remote microbiology plate reading, thanks to a £1.2 million investment from SYNLAB.
Pathology First, a joint venture between SYNLAB and the NHS, was formed in 2014 with Basildon University Hospital and Southend University Hospital. It comprises a state-of-the-art hub laboratory in Basildon, undertaking routine testing, and two hospital-based ‘Essential Service Laboratories’ focused on urgent clinical laboratory tests. All three laboratories are operated by SYNLAB, which has introduced the new system offering greater flexibility and scalability in how it provides testing. This will help to improve both clinical ways of working, and patient care in the longer-term.
The new system gives microbiologists the opportunity to review samples within NHS laboratories from wherever they are in the UK. It also gives specialist biomedical scientists working from home the ability to read plates and report back to laboratory-based colleagues. Pictured is Kirti Patel, a specialist biomedical scientist in microbiology at Pathology First, who was the first scientist to use the remote technology, enabling her to analyse bacterial growth on agar plates.
It is hoped that this new cutting-edge system will help more clinicians access pathology for their patients, increase capacity within microbiology services, support the NHS as it addresses post-pandemic backlogs and, ultimately, help more people to access care.
In October 2021 a dedicated microbiology team was recruited at the hub to provide services to GP practices in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham. This was in response to the new pathology partnership SYNLAB formed with Guy’s and St Thomas’, and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts to deliver and transform NHS pathology services across South East London.