INTERVIEW
How do you envision NHS laboratories looking in 10 years’ time?
I hope we’ll see highly digitised, data- driven laboratories operating within truly integrated networks. Reporting will be faster, smarter and more collaborative. There’ll be more remote working, AI- assisted diagnostics, and a wider range of staff contributing to the diagnostic process, thanks to upskilling and flexible scopes of practice.
But I also think we’ll be more outward- facing, laboratories will be better understood and more visible to patients. Public expectations of diagnostics are growing, and we need to be ready for that. We may also see a return to smaller, specialist reference services alongside hub-and-spoke models. The one-size- fits-all approach doesn’t always meet the needs of every pathology discipline, and services like microbiology and histopathology need thoughtful, bespoke solutions.
You’ve been leading on your Trust’s Net Zero work in pathology. What motivated you to take this on? I’m a scientist at heart, and the data on climate change are unequivocal. We are in a critical window, and as healthcare professionals we have a moral and professional responsibility to respond. Climate change is a health emergency, and we must act accordingly.
“Biomedical Science Day has become a cornerstone in our calendar. It gives us a rare but invaluable opportunity to lift the lid on what we do and to share our work with the public, clinical colleagues, and each other”
The NHS is responsible for around 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions. As the largest employer in the UK – with 1.4 million staff, representing over 2% of the UK population – we are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change. Pathology might seem like a small contributor to the NHS carbon footprint, but every part of the system matters. Laboratories are resource-intensive, from single-use plastics to high energy demand, so even modest changes can have outsized impact. What really motivated me was the opportunity to bring people together around a shared purpose. Climate work is not just environmental, it’s about health
equity, global responsibility, and long- term sustainability. We’re committed to going beyond the NHS’s sustainability targets, with the vision of becoming an NHS leader in the Net Zero challenge. To support this ambition, we’ve developed the ‘Net Zero Northumbria’ Action Plan, which outlines eight key areas of focus to drive meaningful and measurable progress.
What practical steps can laboratories take now, and in future, to help achieve Net Zero? There are immediate actions laboratories can take, switching to LED lighting, optimising equipment use (turning off when not in use or rationalising to one analyser line in non-busy periods), reducing unnecessary testing through diagnostic stewardship and demand management, and reviewing single-use items.
In the medium term, procurement becomes crucial. Choosing greener reagents, working with our suppliers to reduce packaging, and rethinking how consumables are used. We must work in partnership to develop sustainable supply chains fit for the future. Longer term, we need to embed sustainability into everything, service design, capital projects, and training. That includes asking hard questions – Do we need to run that test? Can we consolidate platforms? Can we collaborate more regionally? Ultimately, achieving Net Zero will
require systemic change. But pathology has the analytical mindset, data expertise, and collaborative culture to lead that change, not just follow it.
Any closing thoughts?
The refurbishment of the Northumbria Healthcare NHSFT laboratory at North Tyneside General Hospital saw equipment upgraded and relocated to create a larger, open-plan Blood Sciences area.
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Pathology is evolving fast, and it must. The public and our clinical colleagues need diagnostics that are faster, smarter, and more sustainable. But none of that happens without a workforce that is skilled, supported, and visible. We don’t always shout about our achievements, but it’s time we did. We have a lot to be proud of, and even more to shape in the years ahead.
AUGUST 2025
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