NEWS
RCPath and Roche publish joint white paper
Launching one year on from the publication of NHS England’s 10 Year Plan for Health, a new white paper published by The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and Roche Diagnostics provides recommendations for delivering the ‘three shifts’. Making every test count is the final part of a year-long collaboration between the RCPath and Roche Diagnostics, one of the College’s corporate members. Drawing on three educational webinars facilitated by RCPath in partnership with Roche Diagnostics in 2025/6, the white paper sets out important examples of how diagnostics can enable the effective delivery of the three shifts outlined in the NHS 10 Year Plan. Examples include community- based point-of-care testing for flu and other respiratory viruses (from hospital to community), self- sampling in cervical cancer screening
(sickness to prevention) and AI-driven digital pathology (analogue to digital). The white paper provides examples
where implementation of cuting- edge digital and in vitro diagnostic technologies have delivered tangible improvements to patient care, as well as case studies that illustrate patient experience. Calls to action include: ensuring that all Pathology Networks achieve full digital scanning and reporting by 2029; measuring total pathway efficiency and long-term savings from IVDs; mandating a ‘single sign-on’ diagnostic record to allow pathologists to instantly view digital slides across different trust boundaries Dr Bernie Croal, President of the
Royal College of Pathologists, said: “We are delighted to have collaborated with Roche Diagnostics on Making every test count – this white paper brings into sharp focus how urgently action from government, in all UK nations, is needed to enable pathology services to optimise cuting-edge in vitro diagnostics. Investment in IT infrastructure, increased digitisation with more interoperability, are key priorities.”
Evaluating AI for NHS cancer diagnosis
Findings from the landmark Articulate Pro study have now been published, marking a major milestone for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in NHS histopathology laboratories and demonstrating its potential to improve and standardise prostate cancer diagnosis. Led by Professor Clare Verrill (pictured) at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, the Articulate Pro study is one of the first examples of real time use of AI technology in NHS histopathology practice. It provides new evidence that AI can be safely and effectively incorporated within routine diagnostic workflows. The paper, ‘An evaluation of artificial intelligence assisted prostate biopsy reporting in the Articulate Pro study’, is published in NPJ Digital Medicine. The technology, Paige Prostate, was
evaluated in the prostate cancer biopsy pathway across three NHS Trusts in the UK. The aim was to assess whether the AI diagnostic system could support more consistent and accurate diagnosis. The Paige Prostate Suite is a group of AI-
powered applications designed to aid in the detection and grading of prostate cancer on routine stained images of prostate needle biopsies. The study examined how using it impacted pathologists’ clinical decision-making, pathology service delivery, and use of resources in real-world NHS seting. More than 1,000 men’s prostate biopsies
were assessed in real time, with AI used alongside expert histopathologists. The study demonstrated that the technology
could be safely deployed in NHS IT systems, identifying areas suspected of being cancerous that were difficult to spot, or resulting in an amended grade (aggressiveness); in a small number of cases, this led to different clinical management options being offered. Quicker turnaround of reporting was seen in some centres meaning that patients could potentially receive results a day sooner than without this technology. A reduction in immunohistochemistry (IHC) requests, for extra staining, has also been demonstrated. Clare Verrill, lead author and Professor
of Cellular Pathology and AI, said: “This study provides vital evidence that we can safely and effectively roll out AI technology to help improve prostate cancer diagnosis in the NHS, working alongside expert histopathologists. This helps realise the vision of digitally enabled healthcare for all, which will pave the way for large scale uptake across the NHS.” Browning L, Colling RT, Oxley J, et al. An evaluation of artificial intelligence assisted prostate biopsy reporting in the Articulate Pro study. NPJ Digit Med. 2026;9(1):537. doi:10.1038/s41746-026-02592-8
SMA screening for all newborns
The NHS is to screen all newborns for the genetic condition spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), starting later this year. Early diagnosis of the disease can allow babies to live full and healthy lives. SMA can leave babies unable to sit up,
crawl or walk. In the most severe cases, it stops them breathing or swallowing but caught early enough, treatment can significantly improve outcomes for affected children. The SMA screening evaluation will
begin across England in the autumn, and the programme is moving faster than
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originally planned. Laboratories are set to start testing babies for SMA from October 2026 – three months ahead of schedule. Through the National Institute for
Health and Care Research (NIHR), the government has already announced funding for a £4.1 million evaluation to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of adding SMA to the heel-prick blood test given to newborns as standard. This study, led by scientists at the University of Oxford, will inform future UK National Screening Commitee recommendations on SMA screening for newborns.
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