A new shared pathology network is being created with pathology colleagues including East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Health Services Laboratories (HSL) is the newly appointed provider for this forthcoming shared networked pathology service. Chief executives from the three acute Trusts and the ICB signed a contract with HSL in March 2024. Following a short period to establish new pathology service governance structures we will soon enter a nine-month ‘mobilisation period’ where the three trusts prepare to transfer most pathology staff and services to the new provider later this year. During this period HSL colleagues will be engaging in different ways to support the transition and will be regularly on site to familiarise themselves with the current laboratory operations and teams to ensure a smooth and safe transition.
This is part of a national programme initiated by NHS Improvement and taking place across the country as directed by the Carter review.
Herts and West Essex ICB along with the three trusts and the wider ICS have explored different options to develop a single shared pathology service to support our hospitals, community services, GPs and the patients who we care for.
Together the partners agreed that transferring existing pathology services from within the three acute trusts to an external contractor would provide the best outcome in joining up services and meeting the recommendations of the Carter Reviews. This follows a rigorous procurement process. The main benefits of transferring services to a contractor include significant financial investment in state-of-the-art equipment, new laboratories and staffing resilience. These are important elements in providing a flexible and sustainable ICS-wide pathology service for patients in the acute trusts and the community.
The pathology staff, who will transfer under TUPE to the new provider’s employment, will be able to work in a modern environment and have access to greater professional development opportunities whilst maintaining their full NHS pensions.
Timescales for the programme
The three partner trusts and the ICB approved a full business case for the contract in December 2022. Although the programme has been subject to delays since then the contract has now been successfully confirmed.
Since awarding the contract to our preferred bidder, Health Services Laboratories, in March 2024 we have entered a pre-mobilisation phase, where we will be establishing optimal joint governance frameworks across the ICS. The period following that will be called mobilisation. Mobilisation is a nine month period during which we prepare pathology staff and services for transfer over to HSL.
On the date staff and services transfer to the new provider in 2025, a transformation phase begins. HSL will be responsible for the delivery of the pathology services from this date. They will then work towards the development of the new pathology operational model. To enable careful maintenance and improvement of laboratories, equipment and services this phase will last around two and half years.
Community providers who use pathology services can read this briefing to find out what to expect in the coming months whilst services prepare to be transferred across to the new provider.
Further information
If you have any questions please contact the ICS pathology business unit at: [email protected]