NEWS A long time in politics…
They say a week is a long time in politics, and so it goes that the two months since I last wrote have seen a fair amount of change. The Burnham government is still in its early stages, with first announcements focused on the cost of living. But by appointing the experienced Yvete Cooper as the new Secretary of State for Health (an office Burnham himself occupied for the last year of the previous Labour administration under Gordon Brown) the new prime minister has signalled the importance of the brief, with serious reform of social care expected. What could this mean for the NHS and
the 10 Year Plan though? So much change is already in motion, not least the new Health Bill currently before Parliament, set to formally abolish NHS England. Significant rollback here seems unlikely with so much already done and Burnham previously quoted as saying the money spent in the health service demands accountability. With devolution firmly on the agenda, it’s possible that more spending decisions will be made on a local
So much change is already in motion, not least the new Health Bill
basis, perhaps with locally elected mayors having a greater influence on policy. Looking with a wider lens, under Burnham’s mayorship, Greater Manchester became a leading light in efforts to improve population health at scale. If this ambition is replicated nationally, it mirrors one of the ‘three shifts’, a focus on prevention. The extent to which this is pushed as a national policy could have significant consequences for the NHS, and how its funds are directed. Interesting times are ahead… I was also privileged recently to visit
St George’s Hospital in Tooting, to see how service provider South West London Pathology is using drones to improve the transportation of blood samples. The trial is currently connecting a neighbourhood
Capital Plan to rebuild NHS
The government has published a new 10 Year Capital Plan to modernise NHS buildings, upgrade GP surgeries and bring more care closer to patients’ homes. The 10 Year Capital Plan for Health
and Social Care, published recently, is a long-term capital plan backed by record investment to rebuild NHS buildings, replace ageing equipment and improve patient care. It also includes plans for 250 neighbourhood health centres. Backed by a record capital budget for
health, rising to £15 billion in 2029 to 2030, the plan sets out how the government will rebuild, renew and modernise the NHS. It replaces years of short-term, stop-start investment with a long-term approach, helping the health service deliver major projects that modernise facilities, upgrade technology and deliver beter care for patients. Government investment has already
funded almost 800 upgrades to GP surgeries across England, helping practices create space for an estimated nine million extra appointments. A further £200 million will help more GP surgeries expand and modernise, helping patients get appointments more easily, receive care closer to home and reducing pressure on hospitals.
Minister of State for Health, Karin
Smyth, said: “NHS patients – and the brilliant staff who care for them – deserve modern buildings, reliable equipment and services fit for the future. Too many NHS buildings are crumbling and outdated. This government is taking the long-term decisions needed to rebuild the health
From the Editor
health centre with the blood service laboratory at St George’s. While the service won’t be replacing regular couriers, it provides a much speedier delivery for urgent samples. SWLP plans to expand the trial to cover additional sites and feels the business case for adding drones to its transportation options is very strong. You can read more in these News pages, and we’ll be able to bring you further updates from SWLP in a future issue. For now though, we have another packed
issue to bring you, including scientific articles looking at how recent technological advances are improving surveillance and treatment of pneumococcal disease; the biological complexity of the glioma tumour microenvironment; and the often-overlooked respiratory pathogen Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Stephen MacDonald also continues his series on statistics, looking at precision studies and their practical use, terms used, study design, and interpretation.
Andy Myall
andymyall@pathologyinpractice.com
service. Our 10 Year Capital Plan backs that ambition with record investment and reforms that will help patients get faster appointments, beter facilities, modern technology and more care closer to home for patients across the country.” Alongside improvements to buildings, the plan invests in beter technology across the NHS. This includes improving the NHS App, introducing a single patient record, and replacing outdated systems that keep staff tied up with paperwork.
Leica Biosystems to acquire StatLab
Pathology firm Leica Biosystems, part of Danaher, has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held StatLab Medical Products, a developer and manufacturer of anatomical pathology products. For more than 50 years, StatLab has
provided a broad portfolio of high-quality products across the pre-analytical and analytical histology workflow. From specimen collection and tissue processing through slide preparation and staining, StatLab’s solutions help laboratories improve diagnostic quality. The StatLab portfolio includes UK firm
Cellpath, which it acquired in 2022. Other recent acquisitions by StatLab include
German glass firm Waldemar Knitel Glasbearbeitungs in 2023, as well as Italian equipment maker Diapath and Spanish histology firm Myr, both in 2024. Following the closing, StatLab will become part of Leica Biosystems. “We are excited by the opportunity
to combine StatLab’s portfolio with Leica Biosystems’ global leadership in pathology, computational pathology and AI-enabled diagnostics. Together, we can help laboratories achieve the consistency, standardisation, and quality required to adopt AI-enabled cancer diagnostics at scale,” said Gustavo Perez Fernandez, Group Executive, Danaher’s Diagnostics business, and President, Leica Biosystems.
August 2026
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