NEWS Dr Sarah Pitt


confirmed as IBMS President Elect


The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) has announced Dr Sarah Pitt CSci FIBMS as its new President Elect, having taken office on 1 January to support Joanna Andrew in her second and final year as President.


Dr Pitt brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to biomedical science. As a national IBMS Council member and Chief Examiner for Virology, she has been instrumental in shaping the profession’s strategic direction, overseeing professional examinations, advancing the Specialist Portfolio, and fostering


continuing professional development. Her career has spanned hospital diagnostic laboratories in the UK, Africa, and Central Asia, where she gained extensive expertise in clinical virology and parasitology. She continues to lecture in microbiology, sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation of scientists, and has authored three textbooks to support student learning. Sarah commented: “I feel very privileged to have been elected as the next President of the IBMS. It is a significant responsibility to serve our members and represent the profession, but I am ready to embrace this challenge. Thanks to the dedication of the Chief Executive and past Presidents, the IBMS has made remarkable progress in raising its profile and championing the essential work of biomedical scientists. I am excited to build on these achievements and further support our profession. As a proud biomedical scientist, much of my career has been dedicated to teaching and training colleagues.” IBMS President Joanna Andrew added: “I am delighted to congratulate Dr Sarah Pitt on her election as our next President Elect. This is well-earned recognition of her outstanding dedication to the profession, and I am looking forward to working with her throughout 2025 as we continue to promote and raise the profile of our profession.”


EDITOR’S COMMENT An important year ahead


It’s surely no exaggeration to suggest that 2025 could be one of the most significant years in the history of the NHS. We’re expecting the publication of the government’s new ten-year plan for the NHS this spring. As reported on our website over recent weeks, professional bodies including RCPath and the IBMS have published their submissions to the consultation process. We already know the three key shifts which form the main strategy – hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. But how will these be delivered? We already have some answers. Announcements since the consultation was launched in October have told us that CDCs will have extended opening hours, as well as that all the projects in the New Hospital Programme will be delivered, albeit within a new timetable. But these prompt further questions – where will the medical personnel come from? How will they be trained? And where’s the money coming from?


The less than favourable financial winds


currently blowing are already complicating Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans. Let’s hope that financial restrictions don’t force the Labour administration to water down or delay its plans for change. For the latest news stay tuned to our website at PathlogyinPractice.com and – if you haven’t already – sign up to receive our weekly news emails.


For this issue though we’re looking ahead to the BSMT’s 40th annual meeting on page 14, a landmark achievement for the Society. We also start a new series from Stephen MacDonald, who is following up his popular recent articles on measurement uncertainty with a look at risk management frameworks in clinical laboratories. The risk management approach is a core element of ISO 15189: 2022, making it an important concept for laboratory staff to be familiar with, making this latest series a must read – see page 29.


Artificial intelligence (AI) has been


a buzzword in technology and across healthcare for some time and is the subject of much debate and research. But how close is it to making a practical difference to the daily working lives of pathology teams? Hopefully that’s a question Pathology in Practice can start answering in 2025. Our piece looking at the roles it can play in clinical and diagnostic laboratories on page 45 is the first in this theme this year, with our next issue in April looking at applications in flow cytometry. Also included in this issue are a look


at Escherichia coli in human health and disease, an exploration of tissue archiving methods and requirements and summary of the most recent Annual Report from Serious Hazards Of Transfusion (SHOT). I hope 2025 has started well for you –


here’s to an interesting year ahead! andymyall@pathologyinpractice.com


New Hospital Programme updated


The government has confirmed funding and a timetable to put the New Hospital Programme on track to deliver all of its hospital projects. It follows a review of the scheme by the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) which found that the previous government’s commitment to deliver ‘40 new hospitals’ by 2030 was behind schedule, unfunded and therefore undeliverable. This government is committed to


rebuilding our NHS and to rebuilding trust in government. The new plan, which it says is affordable and honest, will be backed with £15 billion of new investment over consecutive five-year waves, averaging £3 billion a year.


Building an NHS estate that is fit for the


future is key to the government’s Plan for Change that will get the health service back on its feet and see waiting times slashed. At


WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM FEBRUARY 2025


the Budget, the Chancellor announced that health capital spending in the NHS is set to increase to record levels of £13.6 billion in 2025-26.


Planned projects have been placed into waves, with schemes in Wave 1 expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030, followed by waves over subsequent five- year periods. The plan for implementation sets out a clear pipeline of schemes to be delivered over the next decade and beyond. The New Hospital Programme is just one part of the government’s wider commitment to transforming the NHS estate. Over £1 billion has been set aside to make inroads into the existing backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades, while £102 million has been dedicated for upgrades to GP surgeries across England as a first step towards transforming the primary care estate.


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