Featuring Roche on the front cover, the May issue of Pathology in Practice is now available to read online.
The May issue of PiP has now been published and is available to read online.
From the Editor: The whole picture…
Welcome to another issue of Pathology in Practice, one in which the breadth of content goes some way to illustrating the diverse challenges and opportunities across laboratory medicine in 2026. Over the next 50-odd pages we’re covering laboratory statistics, EQA data, virology and influenza vaccine planning, advances in point of-care testing, education and training, digital pathology benefits, as well as an introduction to value-based procurement for NHS pathology services.
My thanks to our valuable contributors; we quite literally couldn’t do it with you. The collegiate and supportive atmosphere within this branch of healthcare continues to impress me as I near the start of my fifth year with PiP. If you’d like to join them, please do get in touch!
A regular contributor over the past few years is Stephen MacDonald of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. I’m pleased to say this issue sees him starting a new series of articles looking at data; beginning with an introduction to statistical interpretation focusing on improving the quality of the first statistical encounter with a dataset. To complement the article Stephen has also developed a teaching tool for basic understanding of probability distributions, which can be found online – alongside a wealth of other material on measurement uncertainty and associated areas.
Also covering the data aspect are Ceri Parfitt and Annette Thomas of Weqas, who look at different models for determining analytical performance specifications (APS). Their article looks at historical data to discover what is achievable in a real-world environment, to aid in setting clinically appropriate APS for several serum chemistry analytes.
Maria Zambon of UKHSA takes us though the biannual process of formulating influenza vaccines. With timing a crucial aspect of the vaccine campaigns, she explains the work done by UKHSA, the WHO and others in coordinating an international effort and how it can be impacted by new virus strains making an unwelcome appearance.
From a business perspective, Beth Loudon of BIVDA introduces value-based procurement in the NHS. One thing the NHS certainly isn’t short of currently is change; but the move to value-based procurement – and away from a focus on costs and specifications and towards patient-centred benefits – should be a positive move. As Beth explains though, when looking at pathology services and diagnostic tests, quantifying these benefits presents some difficulties.
As the digital pathology arms race continues, with ever more features, AI input and increasing potential, Signify Research has taken the step of speaking to pathologists to see what is actually required of the new technology. The results make for interesting reading.
Enjoy the issue!
Andy Myall
[email protected]