With a growing, ageing and increasingly sicker population, demand for pathology services is going up year on year. Without increasing the workforce and strengthening pathology infrastructure, patient care and treatment will be critically undermined.
Pathology services are crucial for the delivery of healthcare and will be central to the Government's ambition to fix and strengthen the NHS. Pathology is essential for healthcare, vital for patients and a cornerstone for the Government's 10-year plan. The three shifts to prevention, digitisation and the community will all rely on pathology services to be equipped with the relevant workforce infrastructure, estate and IT.
Dr Bernie Croal President
The Royal College of Pathologists' response to the Government's 10 year health plan for England
The College's submission took in evidence from College members who sent in their personal views, experiences and ideas.
As part of its submission the College is calling for investment and reform in:
- The pathology workforce - workforce numbers are dangerously low. Pathologist and scientists shortfalls across specialties range from around 15-30% are are forecast to incerase by 20% over the next 10 years. The 10-Year Health Plan must ensure robust workforce planning for pathology. The College is calling for additional 150 pathology training posts across all 17 specialties coupled with an increase in consultant posts. It takes 8-10 years for a new medical graduate to complete training to become a pathologist so immediate action is needed.
- IT, digital, AI and automation - technology is key to a modern, efficient, joined-up diagnostic pathology service, but many services rely on antiquated technology. Services urgently need to be modernised to allow more efficient, cost-effective processes and to support digitisation, interoperability and standardisation. This will allow diagnostic test requesting and reporting to take place seamlessly and to be integrated across the rest of healthcare.
- Pathology estates - many pathology departments are located in dilapidated buildings that are not fit for purpose, holding back developments in digital technology and automation. A lack of space for staff an poor facilities means that expanding training opportunities will be limtied. In particular, urgent action action is needed to improve the estates for mortuary, blood sciences and genomic services.
Other key areas that need to be addressed to develop fit and robust NHS pathology services include:
- Reduce red tape bureaucracy
- Contingency planning
- Research, development and innovation
- Protecting vital national professional contributions
- Delivering pathology for community-based healthcare
- Requesting the right test for the right patient at the right time.
Although this plan applies only to England, there are a number of common themes that are shared by pathologists wherever they work and whichever specialty they work in. We encourage all members to read our findings.
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