Health Minister has welcomed the publication
of Lord Carter of Coles' latest review into Pathology
Transformation.
The review, which was commissioned by the Institute of Biomedical
Science, highlights the vital importance of pathology services,
staff and infrastructure in diagnosing and treating disease. It
has considered pathology services across the UK to provide a
comprehensive, evidence-based assessment to help inform future
decisions around pathology services.
Minister Nesbitt said: I thank Lord Carter for his latest review
and work in this area, which clearly recognises pathology
services as a critical component of modern healthcare. I recently
had the pleasure of welcoming Lord Carter to one of Health and
Social Care's (HSC) pathology laboratories, where he witnessed
first-hand the valuable work our dedicated and expert pathology
workforce is undertaking on a daily basis.
The review recognises the work that has been ongoing in recent
years to transform and improve pathology services in Northern
Ireland, and supports our ongoing work towards an integrated,
regional management structure for HSC pathology services in
Northern Ireland.
The review's central message is that the benefits of
modernisation and integration have been demonstrated and that the
priority should now be to complete the transformation journey. It
recommends completing operational integration of pathology
services, which aligns with Department of Health's strategic
direction in this area, as set out in Modernising HSC Pathology
Services policy statement [www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/modernising-hsc-pathology-services-policy-statement].
The Minister continued: This strongly aligns with my Department's
vision for a HSC Pathology Services Agency for Northern Ireland.
This will bring pathology services together within a unified,
regional model that can deliver greater consistency, improved
performance, stronger governance and better value for patients
and taxpayers.
We have already invested in the digital infrastructure that a
modern pathology service requires, and the pathology services
agency is the next step on the journey. This will support a
coordinated response to these challenges while ensuring that
patients continue to receive safe, timely and high-quality
diagnostic services.
Other recommendations include strengthening workforce planning,
developing a national dataset, accelerating digital
transformation, embedding accountability and reinvesting gains
from transformation.
Recognising the growth in diagnostic demand and workforce
pressures, the Minister welcomed the review's focus on
reinvesting efficiencies generated through transformation into
frontline pathology services. He added: Any benefits realised
through service transformation should be reinvested in pathology
workforce development, digital capability, quality improvement
and service resilience. This reflects the approach we are taking
in Northern Ireland as we work with HSC organisations and
pathology professionals to deliver sustainable long-term
improvements.
I want to thank our HSC pathology workforce for the vital role
they play every day in supporting patient care. Their expertise
and commitment are essential to the delivery of modern health and
social care services. The Review rightly notes that
transformation cannot be delivered without the support of the
workforce, our most valuable commodity. As we take forward our
plans for a HSC Pathology Agency, we will continue to work
closely with staff, professional bodies and service users to
build on the strengths of our pathology services and ensure that
they remain fit for the future.
Notes to editors:
- The Pathology Transformation Review 2026 was commissioned by
the Institute of Biomedical Science and chaired by . The full report can
be found here: https://pathologytransformation.org/
- Pathology, the study and analysis of disease, is a
critical component modern healthcare. It is estimated that 95% of
patient diagnosis and treatment pathways rely on accurate, timely
laboratory results and expert analysis and interpretation.
Pathology services provide more than 2 billion tests each year in
the UK (approx. 40 million tests per year in Northern Ireland).
- The review concludes that fully integrated pathology models
deliver improved resilience, performance and efficiency compared
with fragmented service arrangements.
- The Department of Health is progressing plans through the
Pathology Blueprint Programme to establish a single HSC pathology
services agency to provide regional leadership and oversight of
pathology services across Northern Ireland. Modernising HSC Pathology
Services - Policy Statement | Department of Health
