IBMS response: NHS 10 Year Health Plan
The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), representing the majority of the UK pathology workforce, welcomes the publication of the Government’s NHSE 10 Year Health Plan. It is a bold, much needed set of intentions and it is to be congratulated on its scope and ambition. Described within it is a radically different service that can meet the complex needs of the population in a manner that is safe, effective and affordable, while remaining free at the point of delivery.
Prevention will be at the heart of delivering the Plan’s ambitions for a more sustainable NHS. Pathology services play a vital role in this by enabling earlier detection, equitable access to screening, and timely diagnosis. Expanding diagnostic services through community-based initiatives and home testing solutions for chronic conditions will take the end-to-end pathway closer to the patient, ensuring that underserved and underrepresented communities can access high-quality diagnostics while maintaining consistency across the diagnostic phases.
This shift of diagnostics closer to patients through “Neighbourhood Health Services” must be underpinned by a clear focus on quality, regulation and safety. Biomedical scientists play a central role in ensuring that services meet the highest standards across all phases of the diagnostic pathway. This will be essential as care expands beyond traditional hospital settings.
The delivery of this Plan will also depend on the successful integration of digital technologies and data. Investment in digital pathology, artificial intelligence and interoperable systems will be vital to ensure safe, consistent and high-quality diagnostics across care settings. Pathology services are well placed to help drive this transformation, supporting the development of efficient and sustainable models of care.
Workforce will be one of the key enablers in all aspects of the delivery of the Plan and one of the biggest challenges and enablers to the delivery of the Plan will be the better or different use of some staff and staff groups. Pathology, alongside many of the regulated professions, already is demonstrating the benefits of a workforce model that enables all professional roles to operate at the top of their licence. The increased development of advanced clinical and consultant level roles will be a powerful example of forward thinking to meet the challenges posed by the increasing size of the older population and the resultant increase in complex co-morbidities.
The success of the Plan will also rely on the continued development of training pathways and professional education. Investment in the future biomedical science workforce will ensure that staff are equipped to deliver safe, effective and equitable diagnostic services as demands grow and technologies evolve.
Finally, pathology also has a key part to play in delivering the NHS’s environmental sustainability objectives. Laboratory services and supply chains can contribute to net zero ambitions through innovation in technology, processes and workforce models. The Plan presents an opportunity to embed sustainability in future diagnostic services.
David Wells, Chief Executive of the Institute of Biomedical Science, said:
Biomedical scientists are central to the success of this Plan. As diagnostic services expand into communities and embrace new technologies, it is vital that they are delivered by a well-trained, regulated and empowered workforce. We look forward to working with partners across health and care to ensure that these ambitions translate into safe, effective and equitable services for all patients.
The IBMS looks forward to being an active partner in helping to reshape services to support the successful delivery of this Plan.