The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) has announced that it has commissioned Lord Patrick Carter to lead an independent UK-wide review of pathology services to benchmark today’s services and workforce to guide tomorrow’s decisions.
Lord Carter was chosen by the IBMS Council as his experience of national NHS reviews is expected to deliver an independent, rigorous, authoritative assessment that will be heard at the highest levels. The IBMS is aiming to establish a clear, shared baseline for the decade ahead which will serve to guide future policy.
IBMS President Joanna Andrew commented: “This review is about giving the profession the strong evidence it needs to thrive in the years ahead. By building a clear picture of our services and workforce, we can ensure the value of pathology is recognised, strengthen our sector, and ultimately deliver the best outcomes for patients.”
The review will be undertaken in partnership with the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and Association of Laboratory Medicine (LabMed) in supporting roles. RCPath, LabMed and pathology transformation leaders from across the UK will support engagement and evaluation alongside the IBMS.
The UK faces significant change in diagnostics, including the NHS England 10-year health plan. To make the right decisions for patients and professionals, the profession needs robust evidence on today’s services, workforce and quality - and the opportunities ahead.
The review will be conducted with support from NHS England and the health systems of the devolved nations through provision of available information shared solely for the purpose of the review and held under strictest terms of confidence. Recognising the work done to date in transforming pathology services, it will:
- map how services are configured and delivered
- assess workforce capacity, skills and development pathways
- evaluate quality, service resilience and digital readiness, including IT, automation and AI
- benchmark UK performance internationally across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Crucially, the review will place equal emphasis on quality, patient benefit and clinical impact alongside productivity and finance. It will seek to ensure recommendations are grounded in robust, fair data that reflects the true value of pathology services to patient pathways and the wider NHS.
The final report will provide clear, evidence-based recommendations to governments, commissioners, professional leaders and healthcare partners, supporting a sustainable, high-quality pathology service model that improves patient care over the decade ahead.